Healthy pets for a healthy community

Volunteer vet Peter Robinson with Nipper outside the Palm Island vet clinic.

Palm Islanders can now access animal welfare services that will benefit both animals and their keepers.

A veterinarian has returned to Palm Island thanks to improved facilities provided by an Indigenous Community Volunteer working in partnership with the local council.

The problem of animal welfare in Indigenous communities in Queensland’s north was brought into sharp view with a recent attack by a pack of 8 dogs at Yarrabah near Cairns. The woman who was attacked suffered multiple wounds.

Many communities have particular problems accessing regular veterinary services because of their organisation and remote locations. However, Palm Island has been proactively engaged in reducing the human risks of sick dogs and, before that, wild horses on the island.

At the invitation of Palm Island Community Council, volunteer Peter Robinson spent a month on Palm this winter preparing a room in the island’s old dog pound, formerly the town jail.

It meant applying some elbow grease and liaising with the council’s animal control officers and its Environmental Health Officer, Walter Morgan.

“The space is now more comfortable for a visiting vet,” Walter said.

Electricity, an anesthetic machine and instruments are being delivered for basic animal surgery and care.
 
Peter spent the past 40 years working as a vet in developing countries and was therefore familiar with the rudimentary services and limited budgets of communities seeking to control and manage animals.

The new vet will travel to Palm Island from Townsville once a week with the costs carried by the Queensland Government and the Commonwealth through Medicare. She will provide veterinary care for animals, including treatment for scabies and other skin parasites and worm infections which may cause human health problems. She will also sterilise female dogs and cats to reduce animal numbers, and castrate male dogs and cats, which should result in fewer dog and cat fights.

“Dogs have been known to steal food from children in the school yard,” said Peter and “reducing the animals’ fertility is crucial.”

Although a major concern is diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans, a complete small animal vet service will be provided, which is a great bonus for all the animals and many of the island's residents.

Walter says Palm Island Community Council is seeking to have Peter return to the island to roll out education programs to inform locals that animals have feelings and are worth looking after.

The other challenge for the community is improving access to pet care products such as dog shampoo and worm tablets, which are cheaper and easier to get on the mainland. Walter is hoping to make these products available at the new clinic premises.

More information

If you've been inspired by this story and want to find out more about ICV, whether to volunteer or to initiate a community development project in Queensland, please call ICV's Brisbane office on 07 3121 9250 or go to the Indigenous Community Volunteers website.

Last reviewed: 11 August 2009

Secondary navigation