[A birds-eye view of our recovery corner showcasing the classic Africanis dog; form, function, and tanned!]

In the spring of 2017 I spent six weeks in Botswana volunteering as part of a joint project between the Canadian Animal Assistance Team and the Maun Animal Welfare Society. It was an incredible experience that touched me deeply and it is not an exaggeration to say that I think of it every day, counting down the days until I can return (and hopefully one day on a more permanent basis). MAWS does an unbelievable job of offering sterilization and veterinary services not only to their home city of Maun, but also to uncountable villages up and down the Panhandle. Their resources are few but they have truly learned how to make the best of whatever they have! Working their definitely made me a better technician, able to problem-solve (and often by the seat of my pants), MacGuyver equipment, and monitor and maintain anesthetic on complex surgeries with nothing but my stethoscope and a syringe of thiopental.

“The First Three Days (And Three Hours)” is pretty self-explanatory, detailing my first experiences at the MAWS clinic and the lessons I had to learn quickly!