WITH THE CHANGE OF SEASON comes some exciting changes at Vets Beyond Borders.  

As our members are already aware, we are introducing a volunteering model called VetMatch™ which expands our capacity to provide volunteers to a range of animal welfare projects run by VBB partner organisations.

We are currently putting the final details together and will be back soon with all the details and how you can take your volunteering adventure in 2016.

Watch out too for an announcement on VBB's first Australian project and how you can apply to support or be involved in that!

I would also like to extend a warm welcome to our Enews to those who we met at the PANPAC and ASAVA Conferences earlier this year.  It was great meeting you all and hope we see you volunteering with VBB soon.

As always, thanks to you for your support for a world of better health for animals and people.

MARYANN DALTON, CEO
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Dr Elaine Ong has returned from a hectic trip to China to carry out important follow-up work on the successful VBB/ActAsia veterinarian training projects she has designed and run there since 2009.

Since the project's Incep-tion, many productive and ground-breaking collaborations have been forged. These include Beijing Small Animal Vet Assn, Shenzhen Vet Assn and some of the provincial governments, including Beijing Agricultural Bureau, that are now issuing desexing vouchers for dogs and cats.

"We also assisted with information and guidance on stray animal control in pounds, humane euthanasia methods and forming ethics committees," says Elaine.

"But it was also critical we assessed the vets we trained on previous trips in their own hospitals and community to ensure reinforcement of the learning."

Overall, the results of the education-based intervention strategies of this project in China has produced amazing results and enormous thanks go to Elaine and her vet nurse/teaching assistant, Robyn Ireland, as well as our project partner, ActAsia.

Our picture above shows a stray dog rescued from the notorious Yullin Dog-Eating Festival receiving a pre-surgery check. He was happily rehomed after the sterilisation.
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THE VBB ALUMNI PROGRAM was created to maintain contact with VBB volunteers and a major role of the program is to seek feedback from volunteers so we can understand what works well and what can be better about how we process placements.

For the past year or so we have contacted volunteers within two weeks of them leaving the project site to thank them and gain feedback via a dedicated online form. However, some our recent attempts to contact volunteers have resulted in many not receiving this email due to spam or junk mail filters.

If you you should have received this acknowledgement email and didn't, please contact Linda Hart, the Alumni Program manager.

Alternatively, we would very much appreciate you completing the feedback form located at this link. If you are communicating with VBB, please add our email to your safe senders' list.

Thank you again for supporting VBB and helping the animals and community wherever you volunteered.