A Day in the Life of a Vet on the Gili Islands
Animal Rescues, Cute Kittens, and Cat-astrophes!
Welcome to the Gili Islands: Where Cats Rule
The Gili Islands in Indonesia are a tiny archipelago, accessible only by boat, where cats roam the sandy streets. Dr. Alison, a slightly cat-crazy veterinarian from New Zealand, and her intrepid husband Graham, assist the local vet clinic, Luni Lombok, an animal charity dedicated to caring for the strays and street cats. Together, they make a difference for all the animals on islands where a cat ambulance and public transport are unlike anything you’ve seen before!
Today, we’re on Gili Meno, one island away from the Luni Lombok vet clinic. The cats here need care too, so we’ve brought cages, tables, surgical supplies, and medications for a week-long pop-up clinic.
TNR Clinic: Managing a Stray Population
Hundreds of cats on Gili Meno face overpopulation without neutering. Our TNR (trap neuter return) clinic is a humane solution. A team of cat catchers brings cats to the clinic in cages on the back of bicycles! Each cat, whether a friendly ‘Cupcake’ or a grumpy ‘Chili’, is desexed and also receives vaccinations, and treatment for wounds or parasites. We ensure all surgical patients are comfortable and manage any complications.
After a busy morning desexing more than 14 cats, we enjoy lunch from a local warung, delivered by bike. We then check some kittens who face concerns about panleukopenia, a contagious virus causing vomiting and diarrhea. Vaccination is crucial, as seen in New Zealand, where this disease is rare thanks to widespread vaccination practices.
Patient Stories: Siro and Moritz
We meet Siro, a white cat with a severe skin infection, and later, his best friend Moritz. Siro, diagnosed with Feline Orofacial Pain Syndrome, was in such distress with a condition causing him to continuously claw at his face. Now he begins treatment for a better life and makes a miraculous recovery. His musical purr and antics chasing Moritz around the clinic was a truly heartwarming thing to be a part of. He has even become the new clinic manager, after being adopted by the Luni Lombok clinic who wanted to ensure he had ongoing treatment and care. Now he just needs to grow back the fur we had to shave!!
Reflections at Sunset
As the day ends, we reflect on the fulfillment of helping Gili Meno’s cats. Volunteering creates a significant impact on the lives of animals and people, fostering lifelong friendships.
Vet Around The World is on a mission to bring veterinary care to pets (and people) who struggle to access a vet because of limited finances or resources.
YOU Can Help Too…simply head to our You Tube channel and watch some videos, we are trying to build our channel so that we ear enough money from our videos to continue volunteering for animal charities. Even more help is to like, and subscribe and comment on the videos!
Subscribe to our newsletter, and follow our You Tube channel for more adventures - you do not want to miss the upcoming Gili Trewangan episode where we care for a kitten injured by a falling coconut, and encounter some strange looking creatures that seem to be half badger and half cat…
