Pre-vet programme, South Africa.

The pre-vet programme, is the perfect opportunity to gain work experience, providing veterinary care to domestic and farm animals in deprived communities across the Eastern Cape and working with African Wildlife. This experience allows you to meet like-minded people, gain hands-on experience for your resume and opens doors to potential careers.

The programme is aimed at students in high school or undergraduates from college/university considering vet school/vet nursing. Qualified veterinarians and vet nurses/techs will also expand their knowledge working with different species. However, you do not need to be studying or have any previous experience to join us! The programme is open to anyone who dreams of working with animals.

The programme has 3 main areas of work which are; community work, farm work and African wildlife. Plus a multitude of other experiences!

Some activities you’ll get involved in are -

  • Community- treating street dogs, cats, goats, sheep and cattle in rural communities for parasites and wounds

  • Hoof trimming, cattle ear tagging, pregnancy testing and tail docking piglets

  • Wildlife captures of species of antelope and sometimes lions, giraffe, buffalo or zebra to either relocate or do testing and/or treatments.

  • Lectures, handling and husbandry of exotic animals such as snakes, alligators, amphibian and reptile species

  • Dart gun practice

  • Dissection of samples and post-mortem lectures

  • Sterilisation (neutering) drives

  • Giraffe research monitoring

  • Cheetah and other wild cat encounters

The programme runs from February to November and the minimum stay on the programme is 2 weeks. We work Monday - Friday and you get weekends off to enjoy South Africa. The accommodation is a backpackers called ‘Buccaneers’ in Chintsa East, Eastern Cape. Your airport transfers, accommodation and meals are all provided on the programme. Flights, insurance and weekend activities are not included.

Please email adventures.artemis@gmail.com for a full brochure and prices.

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Reviews

Charlie, Colorado USA - ‘If you want to experience the thrills of working with wild animals, make a huge impact in local communities doing small animal medicine, see the ins and outs of large animal practices, this is a great programme for it! This programme is so well rounded and while travelling to a new country alone can be daunting, the staff and other volunteers made me feel at home the second I stepped off the plane. This is such an unforgettable experience - no one ever wants to leave, I even extended my original 4 weeks stay to 11 weeks! I am thankful for everything I learned during this programme because I am using that knowledge constantly in my current Master’s programme. Learning from a book is one thing, being hands on and getting experience gives a different perspective. I highly recommend this programme to any vet or pre-vet student looking to gain experience, deepen their understanding of vet medicine, experience a different culture, and make ever lasting memories!!’.

Nicole, Puerto Rico ‘I went on the pre-vet programme with an idea of getting closer to lions, elephants, zebras etc but I came away with a lot more. Cultural experiences, more knowledge on conservation and broad experiences with exotic, farm, domestic and wildlife animals. The opportunities were always ‘hands on’, and allowed me to expand my experiences with animals. This was an advantage for when I applied to vet school. Every day was a new community, a farm or a new reserve and new animals to work with. I will definitely go back, I’d love to be part of the change as a wildlife veterinarian’.