We've just finished 2 weeks volunteering and now back in Hua Hin for a few days. Our first week was at the rescue centre of Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT) where there were around 60 to 70 volunteers, most of whom were in the 18 to 25 age range, from mainly European countries plus a few Thai people who were part of the veterinary team and a small number from the US. We were split into either wildlife volunteers or elephant volunteers. There were also more than 100 staff, mainly Thai. Caring for between 800 and 900 animals.
WFFT's strategy was rescue, rehabilitate and release. Unfortunately many animals were rescued from the pet trade or badly run zoos with no concern for animal welfare and so these animals need to live out their days at the centre, being well cared for.
We were divided into teams each with a team leader who were volunteers who knew the ropes (Primates 1, Primates 2, Bears 1, Bears 2, Langurs and Quarantine and a team for Other Wildlife which comprised tortoises, iguanas, muntjacs, pigs Barry, Poke and Mojito (pictured here being groomed by Paul), Bernie the cassowary, rabbits and blue and yellow macaws.
Our day would start at 6.20 am when all teams would be picked up and taken to the food house where we would chop, peel and distribute fruit and veg into individual bowls, overseen by two Thai volunteer coordinators, Jam and Gate, before loading all our crates of food into pick-up trucks and heading to our area for feeding. Feeding could take some time, depending on area, particularly Other Wildlife which were spread over a vast area - and you had to hunt down 5 muntjacs in the forest to ensure they all received some food before the deer muscled in; also the langurs took time because they needed feeding 6 times a day and were feisty and generally aggressive when you approached their food baskets (Paul always seemed to be picking up their food because they'd grab for the bowl before he could get it in the baskets, and you couldn't get too close because of their long reach through the bars).
All this before breakfast at 8 am.
From 9 am to 12 noon we'd be cleaning enclosures, making enrichments or scrubbing pools. Unless you were on langurs with their perpetual feeds.
Lunch was served at 12 noon and we had a break till 1 pm, when we were back in the food house doing more food prep and special projects before a final feed at 4.30 pm.
It was very hard sweaty, dirty and dusty work but thoroughly enjoyable. There's so much more we could say but where would we stop.
Our second week has been spent at the PAT Clinic (also part of WFFT) which takes a maximum 4 volunteers. The clinic's aim is to spay as many street dogs as possible; 3 dog catchers go out each morning and bring back dogs who are spayed, and once they've come round from anaesthetic are taken back to where they were caught and put back with their pack. Our duties have included washing the equipment after surgery, folding the surgical cloths - which has to be done in a specific way, going on food runs putting dry food down for the street dogs and making scratch pads for cats at a local shelter. This week was also a bit different for the clinic as they set up a mobile clinic about 90 minutes away where, together with 4 other local vets, they spayed 25 dogs per day for 2 days. The vets all worked on tables in one large area and it was a bit of a production line. We helped with setting up, assisting vets with their pre-surgery hand cleaning and we had an area where we were to clip nails, remove ticks, and clean their ears after surgery before the dogs came round but we only did a few because the anaesthetic was wearing off before we got to them.
We were put up in a hotel overnight but sadly missed the second day as Paul had sickness and diarrhoea, so we came back to the clinic by taxi. The clinic dog (Moomoo, who has been hit by cars twice and now has limited mobility in her back legs) and clinic cat (Som, the most vocal cat this side of Timbuktu) were so pleased to see us after being on their own all day apart from the cleaner putting food down, they didn't leave our side. Although yesterday Moomoo was less impressed with us after having an obligatory shower and groom.
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Wow! You have been busy. It’s lovely to catch up again. Sorry to hear Paul was unwell. We hope he is better now. Wonderful photos. Love and hugs from both of us. xxxx
I’ve been longing to see/read how your time at WFFT had been. It looked like a very hard, but also extremely rewarding time. I’m so sorry Paul was unwell. I do hope that he’s feeling much better now xxx
Really enjoyed reading these latest blogs. I should think you two need a “holiday” after all that!! Hope you are better now Paul?
Where’s next I wonder ! Lots of love x x x