Gili Island Vet & Farrier Clinic - Indonesia

During November, AAA Founder, Janet Thomas travelled to Gili Trawagan Island to see the work being done with the farrier program that Animal Aid Abroad supports. WA farriers, Chris Beggs and Steve Chamberlain volunteer their time and skills to not only make and fit shoes but also train local men to become farriers. It was extremely hard work with the hot, humid conditions and there was no let up with locals wanting their ponies feet done. It was really good to see the line of horses each day waiting to get their feet done and the realisation that their ponies certainly benefit from the better shoes. 
Janet also visited the rubbish collecting ponies that Animal Aid Abroad support and all are doing very well. It was great to see the new electric carts which means the horses have a lot more rest days and are not over worked.
Part of Janet's visit was to meet two Indonesian vets, Penny Wahyu and Ruth Advendtine who joined the week long clinic in hope they will become part of a more expanded program offering vet clinics to surrounding islands like Lombok.   
Stay tune to 2019 where we hope to run vet and farrier clinics not only on all the Gili Islands but Lombok too.

The vet team was led by Veterinarian Charlie El-Hage from Melbourne University and assisted by Karen Holmes and Amanda Drought from Murdoch University, and Bronte Tremlett, a vet nurse from Victoria. 
They were joined by Alison Berton, leather worker from Melbourne, Rachael Mason and Sam Loly, from Bunbury WA, Peta Hitchens from Melbourne University and Rob Drought. There were also two amazing Indonesian vets helping out this time around - Wahyu Peni and Ruth Advendtine, assisted by Saskya Bingei.
Thanks to Kirsten Jackson who worked behind the scenes organising gear and much needed manpower.

Added to the mix there were local supporters and organisers of the clinics - Delphine Robbe, Tori Taylor and Sarah Best who do an amazing job on the ground on Gili Trawangan, making things happen for these horses. Horses needed to be treated for skin problems, diarrhoea, flu, wounds and lameness. Worm treatment and vitamins were administered to all horses. 
Thanks to our AAA donors who have made the farrier program such a success, the line up to get feet done was amazing.