Written by: Jessica (14) and Emma (12). Pictures by: Mom
We are currently in Savusavu, Fiji for cyclone season. A few months ago we took off some time from homeschool to play all day with our friends (we hadn't seen them in a long time.) Now, it's time to get back to the books. In addition to studying extra hours for homeschool, we're also learning in other ways. Some different ways we are learning outside the "classroom" is volunteering at the local animal clinic, taking art classes with a local artist and joining the junior sailing class. Friday we spent hours volunteering at the Animals Fiji clinic.
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| Getting ready to comfort a dog fresh from surgery |
I (Jessica) loved my first day at Animal Fiji clinic because Alex (the vet) allowed us to interact and help. My favorite part of the day was when I learned how to take a pulse and when I learned how to test urine for blood. I look forward to learning more about the medical procedures the vet will preform. I had such a great experience at the clinic.
I (Emma) loved the animal clinic because I got to help the dogs feel comfortable and I really like watching the vet, Alex do the surgery on the dogs. I got to learn how to make a sterile kit, helped the dogs wake up from their Isofluorane, I was also able to help prepare a dog for surgery. The day that we went to the clinic they were packed with dogs, by the end of the day they had 7 dogs that were fixed and a cat, they also had 2 dogs that came in to be vaccinated and one urine test.
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| Reading a dogs pulse |
The clinic is trying to get 10,000 signatures to ban Paraquat, it's a poison used to kill the weeds that grow on plants for the farmers, the problem with is that it also kills animals and humans. When a dog or cat consumes the Paraquat it burns the dogs from in side eating away their lungs and other inside organisms and is a very painful death that is why Animals Fiji is trying to ban it. It's very sad. If you too would like to sign the petition to ban Paraquat, click here.
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| Creating sterile kits |
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| Preparing a dog for surgery |
We're both happy that our parents organized a day for us to volunteer with Animals Fiji and can't wait to go back. We're especially happy that mom didn't get upset when we told her that we felt like we learned more in one day at the clinic than had we done homeschool!
