Introduction

Before I started my vet nurse training, I wanted to support my local RSPCA. There are different ways of supporting local charities, from spending time at the centres supporting staff to fostering animals before they go to their forever home. Fostering can be incredibly rewarding as the animals are often traumatised, either physically or mentally, but often improve within a few days to become inquisitive and more confident.

Fast forward to my training at Harper Adams University, and the selection of my year-long placement. This can be a stressful time for students, with the worry that the practice will not be as expected, that we might not fi t in with the team, or that the practice doesn’t see the kind of patients we’re interested in. Making a choice between first opinion and referral practice can be daunting. It is well known that referral practice can be a stressful place to work but you can focus on specific types of patients, whereas with first opinion practices you have the opportunity to see a wide range of interesting cases.  

My story

There’s no doubt that I’m the definition of an animal lover. At six years old, I decided I wanted to work with animals. Since then, it’s been my goal to help as many animals as possible. I’m excited to qualify as a registered veterinary nurse (RVN) and will hopefully work in a referral practice, while continuing to volunteer and foster. I believe this is the best way to help as many animals as I can.

Volunteering

I started volunteering at Bryn y Maen RSPCA, North Wales, in 2009 when I was 10 years old. Being there was the highlight of my week. I never had pets, as my parents and sister were strongly against it and we enjoyed travelling so it wouldn’t have been appropriate. Volunteering was a brilliant way for me to interact with animals and learn about all aspects of their care. I mainly volunteered in the small animal unit, helping with rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets and all sorts of rodents and birds. I also spent some time socialising and walking dogs from the kennels.  

Fostering

To become a fosterer, it’s important to have the time to dedicate to the animals, an appropriate environment which is safe and stress-free, and an understanding of the species’ needs. It was difficult to find time to volunteer during my GCSEs as the RSPCA was a 45-minute drive from home, although it may have helped me as I’ve always found exams stressful. During my first year of A-levels, I decided to foster rabbits so I could keep interacting with animals and still be of help to the RSPCA and the rabbits, but at my home.

It’s been five years since I started fostering and I’ve had a total of 21 rabbits, all with very different characters. I often get asked, ‘Why foster rabbits?’ Just like dogs, cats and other domestic animals, rabbits can find it hard to trust people after having a rough life and they deserve a second chance. 

They may come to me showing aggressive or territorial behaviour, or just be petrified of people due to their awful start in life, which makes them difficult to rehome. Once they’re with me, they get one-to-one attention which brings out their real characters and that, in turn, helps them to be matched with the right owner. Within days of being with me, I often see a huge change in their characters: they become inquisitive and confident. When they start to trust me, I know we’re on the right path. 

Fostering rabbits is so rewarding and my ultimate goal is to get them ready for a permanent home. I really enjoy receiving updates from their owners once they are in their forever home. 

I volunteer at the RSPCA whenever I’m home from university and foster when I’m home for long periods. It’s always the first stop on the way home — even before I see my parents. Fostering is flexible so if I go on holiday the rabbit can go back to the centre. If I have a month at home, I can phone the RSPCA and ask if any rabbits need fostering, which they inevitably do. The most recent rabbit I’ve looked after is Michael, who came into my care because he was territorial and aggressive. He was with me for over three weeks before being placed in his forever home where he is now relaxed and happy (Figure 1). 

‘I got to see a wide range of orthopaedic, neurology, soft tissue, oncology, internal medicine and ophthalmology cases’  

Placement in a referral

I’m not able to foster while I’m at university but I volunteer as much as possible during holidays and placement time. At the end of my first year of university, I had a ten-week placement at a first opinion practice on Anglesey and thoroughly enjoyed working there. For my placement year, however, I wanted to experience a referral hospital and was determined to get a place. I always push myself and I knew that if I didn’t spend my placement year at a referral, I would never do it. Having looked through all UK referrals that are RCVS training practices, I shortlisted and applied to them. I was very happy when I got into my favourite choice: Aberdeen Veterinary Referrals in Scotland.

My placement at Aberdeen Veterinary Referrals was better than I could have imagined. I loved the case load and the people I worked with, and I miss everyone since coming home. I also enjoyed meeting the adorable patients and getting involved with the complex cases. I got to see a wide range of orthopaedic, neurology, soft tissue, oncology, internal medicine and ophthalmology cases. 

They also have a computerised tomography (CT), which I find fascinating, and a visiting magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). I have more of an appreciation for veterinary professionals than ever. The RVNs inspired me every day and I hope I’ll be able to attain their extraordinary level of knowledge and skill. 

I really liked that every day was busy and different, which added to the excitement. My role varied to ensure I got the most out of my placement. Generally, my work was divided between inpatients, theatre and diagnostics, and anaesthetics. 

Inpatients

My role with inpatients included nursing patients in the kennel, cattery, medicine and isolation wards, as well as ensuring all animals had exercise, physiotherapy, bladder management (if needed) and their medications. It also involved updating owners on a patient’s progress, as they were sometimes hospitalised for weeks.

Theatre and diagnostics

In theatre and diagnostics, I assisted as a circulating nurse and a scrubbed nurse (Figures 2 and 3), and carried out lab work and imaging (x-rays, endoscopy, CT). My anaesthetics role included monitoring during surgery and recovery for a wide range of procedures.  

‘I assisted as a circulating nurse and a scrubbed nurse, and
carried out lab work and imaging’ 

I liked the variety of working in different aspects of patient care and in such amazing facilities. 

My favourite cases were always the spinal patients. I particularly enjoyed being part of their rehabilitation, which involved physiotherapy. Some of these patients were hospitalised for several weeks, so I would form a good bond with them. It was so rewarding to see them, for example, go from being paralysed in their hind limbs to taking their first steps. 

The biggest challenge while I was in Aberdeen was not being able to visit home due to the Covid-19 restrictions. Two days before heading home for Christmas, I found out I couldn’t cross the border into England and then Wales. This meant having Christmas in my flat in Aberdeen instead of being with my family. Luckily, my flatmate couldn’t return home either, so we had each other’s company. 

Charity work and referral work

Volunteering and fostering have helped me get to where I am now. I believe volunteering is something all students should do to improve their skills and plan their futures. It has helped me understand different species’ needs and the best ways to care for them.

Working for a charity and working in a referral are complete opposites. Working with the RSPCA has shown the realities of how animals can be mistreated by owners, with most animals at the centre having experienced neglect or abuse. Referral, on the other hand, shows the best of owners who are doing everything they can for their pets. Working in a referral has given me a little glimpse of hope about how owners can be responsible and willing to look after their pets.

I doubt both areas will meet – via a referral for charities – due to the expense of the facilities and treatment. However, I will continue to volunteer when I’m an RVN in the hope that I’ll be able to help the RSPCA through my nursing skills, and will use those experiences to further develop my abilities to help animals.