Pictured: Michelle in Bosnia.

Team shares experience with local vets.

Members of Dogs Trust's veterinary team have recently returned from Bosnia, where they were working to improve the lives of the country's street dogs.

Charlie Matthias - senior veterinary surgeon from Islington, and Michelle Henry-Clement – veterinary nurse from Dartford, visited Bosnia for a week to share their knowledge with local veterinary professionals.

The trip was made to support Dogs Trust's ongoing work in the country, running a neutering, vaccination and education programme since 2012. As a result over 450 local veterinary surgeons have been trained to best support Bosnian strays.

Commenting on the trip, Charlie Matthias said: “It was an incredibly worthwhile and enjoyable trip. I was very impressed with the dedication of the Dogs Trust team in Bosnia and the local vets made us feel so welcome.

“It was wonderful to witness the Dogs Trust programme in action and to see that once a dog enters the system, they are very well cared for. Not all of the street dogs that came in were suitable for surgery with some being underweight. 

“These dogs were well looked after until they were ready for an operation. During the week we neutered around 20 dogs and all six of the Bosnian vets successfully completed the vet training programme.”

Over the course of the week, the Dogs Trust veterinary team members provided training to Bosnian veterinary professionals on surgery and anaesthesia techniques, including handling and ensuring correct medication is given. 

Michelle Henry-Clement discussed her experience in Bosnia: “The week in Bosnia was such an amazing, positive experience.   

“The Dogs Trust team were so lovely and welcoming with impressive knowledge.  The facilities were outstanding, where the dog’s welfare is the focus of everything they do.

“Most of the street dogs were friendly and easy to work with, with any stress being minimised due to Dogs Trust protocols. The resilience of the street dogs surprised me and was so memorable.

“Whilst I was in Bosnia I saw very few stray dogs in the city, highlighting the incredible impact of the project. 

“It has been so successful now the team are working in more rural areas of the country which makes me feel proud to be part of the Dogs Trust team.”

Image (C) Dogs Trust