A local vet had many helping hands in the form of seven young Canadian vet nurses who enjoyed their first exposure to wildlife.

Local veterinarian Dr Gerhard Klopper of Blouberg Animal Clinic in Makhado (Louis Trichardt) took the group with him for 10 days in order for them to gain experience in large-animal care and especially in working with wild animals.

The young women, between the ages of 21 and 26 years, are from Edmonton in Alberta, Canada, and they had graduated in May this year as animal health technologists from the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology.

“In South Africa, they would call us vet nurses,” they explained. “In Canada at our animal clinics, we see mainly cats and dogs,” said Leah Squarok. Apart from Amy Demchuk, who works with horses, the others see only small animals at their clinics. They are Leah, Kaylie Penner, Brittany Whittemore, Rachel MacLeod and Danielle Belanger, with Sara Gouldson still looking for a job.

“All our jobs gave us time off for the South African experience and will take us back,” said Kaylie.

And what a busy time they had … On their first day, they tended to buffalo and sable antelope and moved nyalas. The next day they tested buffaloes for  diseases, moved them and tended to a sable antelope in Musina. They then travelled to Thsipise, Pontdrift and Dendron, followed by catching and loading wild animals, including kudus. They trimmed sheep hooves and assisted with the castration of a horse in the 40-degree heat at Waterpoort, and then tested bulls and tended to pregnant cows.

“The girls are very keen and capable. I just put out my hand and all the necessary instruments and medicine are handed to me. How wonderful!” Klopper said.

What could the Canadian technologists do with their broadened experience (10 days in Nelspruit in Mpumalanga and 10 days in Limpopo)? “We could get involved in research or we could come and work here,” they said.  “This kind of work is wonderful, but the sun…” said Brittany. There was, however, one who considered coming to South Africa.

“I would like to work here,” said Squarok.