Veterinary Medicine Experience

We have two different veterinary practices that we place our vet students, interns, nurses, technicians and qualified veterinary participants in Knysna. Both have very dedicated qualified staff and both are very different in work routine, treatments and patients. Participants are placed according to availability and their personal needs and goals.

Animal Welfare

This animal welfare project is a privately funded, non-profit association solely working for the benefit of animals found mostly in underprivileged areas.  Acting and speaking for those who have no voice, the society engages in rescue, rehabilitation and re-homing where possible, education programs and daily clinics, as well as operating a sterilization program which operates on a weekly basis, servicing the greater Knysna area. Besides responding to distressed call-outs from the public, the society is often also driven to engage in the welfare of larger animals, that although not falling within their jurisdiction, cannot likewise be ignored. Once a month they host a mass spay day that  takes place at the clinic with veterinary doctors from private practices in the local area joining in to sterilize as many dogs and cats as possible. To prevent unwanted puppies and kittens, sterilizations are very high on the agenda.

Education is power, and to the best of their abilities, the staff of the society distributes visual pamphlets on both the care of animals, feeding requirements, and disease protection and control.  Many of the pet owners have wonderfully cared for and loved animals, but sadly these cases are in the minority, leaving the heavily financially burdened society and limited staff with an awesome, and for the most part, heartbreaking task. The welfare also treats those with lower incomes with low cost veterinary treatment which there is a huge need for.

Private Veterinary Clinic

This private veterinary practice has been established for many decades and is the largest in the area and much loved by the residents and their furry family. They have numerous veterinary doctors, nurses and staff has an excellent reputation for their veterinary treatment with modern equipment. Aside from domestic animals in the greater Knysna area that they treat they also treat livestock and horses in the neighbouring farming areas and wildlife from rehabilitation centers in the area. They hold a mobile veterinary clinic in the poorer areas of the Knysna townships on the first Wednesday morning of the month for vaccinations, flea and mange treatment and to veterinary care. They also treat rescued injured and sick wildlife- both birds and animals- brought in by the local public, for free

7.30am - Up for breakfast, get ready for the day and pack a light lunch

8am- You will be collected by our driver and taken to either the veterinary practice or the animal welfare depending on which part of the project you have been accepted on. 

8.30am- the day starts with hospital rounds checking on the overnight patients and then any scheduled operations will take place followed by consultations

13pm- break for lunch

14pm- Time for more consultations

4pm to 5pm- you will be fetched by our driver and taken to your volunteer accommodation. If there are late emergencies you would like to take part in to gain extra experience, we encourage you to stay a little later

Due to the nature of veterinary work, it is impossible to say which veterinary treatment or operations will be taking place as the work is very varied due to the case loads at the time. You may also be required to join a veterinary doctor on field trips treating larger animals like cows or horses on neighbouring farms or assisting at a satellite veterinary clinic in a neighbouring town

Knysna is one of South Africa’s favourite towns based around the beautiful Knysna estuary with views of the iconic headlands. It is not known as the jewel of the Garden Route for nothing and is surrounded by magical forests, farmlands and a breath-taking coastline dotted with blue flag beaches which are great for swimming, barbequing or just simply watching dolphins surfing in the waves. It is also home to the famous elusive Knysna elephant which are the most southern free roaming elephants in the world and there are still hot debates about the numbers with some saying there is only one left and others a small herd of about 4.

The area that Knysna is situated is the Garden Route of the province of the Western Cape and it is a dream for animal lovers and extreme sports enthusiasts as there are numerous private wildlife reserves, national parks, whale watching, predator sanctuaries, primate sanctuaries, elephant sanctuaries, wolf sanctuaries, skydiving, paragliding, sandboarding, numerous interesting markets and so much more so boredom is not an option.