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Veterinary Care for South Pacific Companion Animals in Need The Esther Honey Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) international organization working exclusively to control animal populations on islands. The difference that EHF makes for animals and their communities can be permanent. EHF works in concert with local government officials, businesses, community members and EHF’s partners, to bring compassionate and affordable veterinary services to South Pacific island companion animals in need. EHF improves the health conditions and quality of life for these animals by developing the partnership programs, raising the funds and recruiting the volunteers necessary to fulfill the Foundation’s mission. Wherever EHF provides service, all animals including the homeless, receive the same level of veterinary care and no healthy animal is euthanized. |
| More Than a Decade of Service to the South Pacific Animals |
The Cook Islands EHF estab  lished and continues to support the only veterinary clinic for the Cook Islands' thousands of companion animals. Since the Foundation established The Esther Honey Foundation Animal Clinic in 1995, hundreds of EHF volunteers including veterinarians, technologists and interns have traveled to the South Pacific island nation to treat between 1,200-2,425 animals each year at no charge. EHF's patients are primarily companion animals, but our veterinary teams have also treated pigs, goats, horses, birds, fruit bats and one seal. EHF has ►Treated more than 22,012 animals ►Sterilized more than 9,856 animals since joining the Rarotonga community and opening The Esther Honey Foundation Clinic doors. South Pacific Islands: EHF VET TREK® Rarotonga, Aitutaki, Atiu, Mangaia, Mauke, Mitiaro, B  ora BoraThe Foundation's spay/neuter and humane education programs extend beyond the Esther Honey Animal Clinic to remote outer islands and to additional South Pacific island nations. EHF has conducted ►99 EHF VET TREKS® (field clinics) and ►treated 3,047 animals who might never see a veterinarian if not for The Esther Honey Foundation.  To read about EHF's To read about EHF's Bora Bora VET TREK® Bora Bora VET TREK® in on this site: The Tahiti Beach Press: Click Here Click Here   ►To read about EHF VET TREK® Aitutaki I '06 in the CI NEWS: Click Here (Large file) ►To read about EHF VET TREK® Mangaia '07 in the CI NEWS: Click Here ►CELEBRATING EHF's 100th VET TREK® Mangaia '08 ►Please see CI NEWS article below (Updates and photos to follow!) ►To Join EHF's VET TREK® RAROTONGA '08 TEAM: Click Here EHF Volunteers Brooke & Max Mack encourage Spay & Neuter during EHF VET TREK ® Rarotonga 2008 campaign Esther Honey Volunteers
EHF is indeb  ted to the 155 veterinarians and hundreds of additional Esther Honey Foundation volunteers who have treated more than 22,012 companion animals and spayed and neutered more than 9,856. EHF veterinarian volunteers come from (to date): the United States, New Zealand, Australia, the UK, Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands, South Africa, Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Spain. ►To read about one veterinarian's experience at the Esther Honey Foundation Animal Clinic: Click Here ►Read a CI NEWs article about Esther Honey Clinic veterinarians: Click Here ►Veterinarian Alison Harland writes: "I am writing from a wet and windy New Zealand, the warmth of Rarotonga is fading slowly! I am writing to thank you for your advice and assistance with my recent trip to Rarotonga, and during my stay at the EHF clinic. It was great to be part of an international team providing a veterinary presence on Rarotonga, and to contribute with organisation of the clinic and supplies, as well as desexing and medical/surgical services. I learned heaps - an opportunity not to be missed." July 2008 ►Read a VET REPORT from the Esther Honey Clinic: Click Here Esther Honey Foundation Animal Clinic: Click Here ► Vet Student Gabe Young recently wrote the following about his EHF externship experience: "Volunteering at the Esther Honey clinic was a fantastic experience, and definitely the highlight of my journey through vet school. I loved everything about Rarotonga - the people, the animals, and the lifestyle, and it was great to have a chance to help out somewhere where the work is really needed and truly appreciated by the locals. I highly recommend volunteering at the clinic to everyone, but especially to final year vet students or recent grads. The veterinarians who supervised me allowed me to get very involved in the management of cases, and they were always eager to enhance my learning experience in every way. As a young and budding vet, the time I spent there was extremely valuable. I am very grateful to Cathy Sue for having me there - she has developed a wonderful organization which has done great things for the people and animals of Rarotonga, and it was a privilege to spend some time there. I can't wait to go back!!!" June 2008  ►Read NZ Veterinary Nurse and 2008 volunteer Amie Turner's account of her 6 weeks working at The Esther Honey Foundation Animal Clinic: Click Here Amie and her patient, hit by car victim, Stitch.►  ► Oregon State University Pre-Vet student, Erin Pugh, departs Corvallis, Oregon for the Cook Islands to serve and train at the Esther Honey Animal Clinic. The IE3 intern will recieve academic college credit in addition to invaluable animal care experience while volunteering for the Foundation and helping the Rarotonga animals. ►For additional information about the IE3 & EHF internship programs: Click Here |
| For More Information About The Esther Honey Foundation |
 ►Read "Cook Islands' Honey" Masterpet's April 2008 Publication, 2CATS1DOG MAGAZINE at: News & Articles  ►Read one veteterinary nurse's volunteer experience in ProVet NZ's 2008 Publication, PARTNERS in PRACTICE MAGAZINE at: News & Articles  ►Read one veterinarian's volunteer experience in the Glasgow University Spring 2008 Faculty Newsletter at: News & Articles ►Read "A helping hand" about one clinic volunteer's experience in the Dec. 2007 issue of PET MAGAZINE at: News & Articles  ►Read EHF's Organization Profile: View ►Visit EHF's News & Articles ►Contact EHF: Click Here ►Receive EHF E-mail Newsletter & Updates: Click Here |
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EHF NEWS! EHF NEWS! EHF NEWS! EHF NEWS! EHF NEWS! EHF NEWS |
| ► ESTHER HONEY FOUNDATION Awarded GRAND PRIZE in The Humane Society International (HSI) SPAY DAY 2008 Campaign. EHF supporters allowed The Esther Honey Foundation to participate in this important international event with the following results:  SURGERIES: EHF volunteer veterinarians Jodi Vermaas, John Willems, Kate Abel, Erin Hirn and veterinary nurse, Shanna Oxenbridge ● Sterilized 127 animals  ● Treated all patients for fleas and worms at no cost. EDUCATION: EHF volunteer veterinarians  ● Visited 15 classes ● Taught 400 Rarotonga school children the benefits of Spay/Neuter and ● Distributed humane animal health care pamphlets to each student. ► To read more about EHF's SPAY DAY Click Here ► To view SPAY DAY INTERNATIONAL 2008 slide show Click Here _________________________ ► Animal Planet Canada & Maystreet Productions' Documentary features The Esther Honey Foundation's work on behalf of Raro Dogs.  Esther Honey Foundation Animal Clinic volunteers recently spent an exciting week working with Canada’s Maystreet Production Company who flew to the Cook Islands to film the foundation’s Animal Clinic program and the Rarotonga dogs for an Animal Planet Canada documentary. Maystreet contacted the Foundation earlier this year about participating in a programme, 4 months in the making, that highlights feral animals and selected animal welfare agencies from around the world.  Maystreet Production films homeless "Snowie" at Muri Beach for Animal Planet Canada. EHF President and CEO, Cathy Sue Ragan-Anunsen, says, "We are honoured to be among those organizations whose work on behalf of animals in peril will be featured. Maystreet and Animal Planet have the ability to draw global attention to the plight of island nation dogs in general and to educate millions about the unique gentle nature and keen intelligence of the Rarotonga dogs in particular. We are eager to see the island animals and our extraordinary volunteers at work when the program airs later this year." To read full story Click Here Snowie's new family ►Visit "Gone Wild" website to Watch Video from Animal Planet program Gone Wild | Dogs – Rarotonga, Cook Islands We will provide future air dates as they become available ____________ ►Vets trekking for the 100th time CI NEWS 25 August 2008 The Esther Honey Foundation will embark on its centenary EHF Vet Trek® this week. EHF clinic director Karen Galvan says this is after 14 years of voluntary work by the foundation, hundreds of EHF volunteers have passed through the clinic’s doors to run the (hospital) and spay/neuter programme. “It is so exciting for us all at EHF to have reached this remarkable milestone when we visit Mangaia on Wednesday for a five-day Vet Trek. EHF is taking a specialist team of five to Mangaia. Galvan says two qualified vets will do the veterinary work, two researchers will conduct a census of the island’s canine population and she will be doing animal welfare education for the 204 school children on Mangaia. EHF does not charge for this service and has sourced the necessary drugs, medicines, census model and educational supplies required to perform this outreach programme through its worldwide support network. Included in this centenary Vet Trek group is researcher Brooke Nicholls-Mack, who came to the Cook Islands as a child with her father Dr Barry Nicholls, who has a long association with the foundation as veterinarian liaison, board member and donor Brooke says, “It’s is an incredible honour to be involved in this centenary Vet Trek and to return to the Cook Islands. My family has a long association with the Cooks through EHF, and this year I have brought my husband with me so we can both do something positive for the animals of the Cooks, but also so I can share my own childhood memories with him.” Galvan confirms that the EHF team members are paying for their own travel and living costs to Mangaia but would like to thank Air Rarotonga for providing discounted airfares and Mr Nga Tuara for assisting with accommodation and logistics on Mangaia. —EHF _______________________
► EHF Clinic team welcomes fellow WSPA Member Society representative
21 August 2008  Kim Keyser (Center) of the American Samoa Humane Society visited the EHF Animal Clinic on Thursday while in the Cook Islands on holiday. Like EHF, ASHS is a WSPA Member Society and Kim and EHF Clinic Director Karen Galvan met at the July WSPA Humane Education Conference in Auckland. After touring the clinic, Kim said that she was "so impressed with the EHF facilities." Especially for a small, island non-profit clinic with limited resources, EHF facilities, "are just great" she added. Kim took additional time away from her holiday to talk with EHF volunteers, cuddle our patients and take photos to share with her ASHS colleagues back on American Samoa. We are grateful to Kim for her kind words and for all of her and her organization's work on behalf of animals in American Samoa. _______________________ ► Neve Soryl, an inspiration!
August 2008  8 year old Neve, an animal lover from Christchurch, wanted to help the animals in Rarotonga when her family flew there for a winter holiday in May. Neve had read about the Esther Honey Foundation in an animal magazine and decided to help the non profit organisation by collecting donated veterinary supplies to bring to Rarotonga.
To read more about Neve's success in enlisting others to help her achieve her goal, vist our NZ Page. Click Here _______________________ ► Police support EHF dog de-sexing campaign Cook Islands News: August 9, 2008 "... acting police commissioner Maara Tetava says the police are still committed to working alongside EHF in an island effort to de-sex at least 70 percent of dogs on Rarotonga. “We have done and will continue to conduct media awareness programmes on this. We intend to hold meetings around the island to explain the process. We have begun with home visits to record the number of dogs in each home. We will soon provide people with the opportunity to make appointments with EHF for their dogs to be de-sexed. It is our hope that this project will alleviate some of the problems that we continue to have with dogs,” says Tetava. The campaign will begin a mass spay/neuter campaign which will be conducted during EHF’s Vet Trek Raro programme over the next six months. EHF chief executive officer Cathy Sue Ragan-Anunsen says they are grateful to the police’s willingness to work together to humanely resolve the issue of dogs on the island. “Rarotonga’s natural boundaries combined with EHF’s established, affordable veterinary programme make the Cook Islands one of the few island nations in the world with the potential to create a successful, long term, humane animal management programme,” says Ragan-Anunsen.  EHF and police will carry out visits to explain the logistics and finer details of the initiative. The pilot project will then start with two villages being chosen in the initial phase with the plan to work through the remaining village. — TC EHF Animal Clinic Director, Karen Galvan, visiting with Cook Islands Prime Minister Jim Maruria following Chief Inspector Tini's retirement celebrations. _________________________ ►Kids flock to pet day Cook Islands News: August 05, 2008  There were kids galore at the Esther Honey Foundation Clinic as they opened their gates up for another popular free kids fun day. Kids started arriving at least an hour early and were still enthralled by the activities by the middle of the fun day. The event was not only a great chance for kids to have some fun during the school holidays but to also get some handy hints on how to properly look after pets. There were games, prizes, heaps of treats and the chance to play with some of the animals at the clinic. The clinic, located in Nikao, has a number of cats and dogs available for adoption. Anyone interested in providing a loving home to one of the pets is urged to visit the clinic or contact them on 22336. — TC _________________________ Pacific animal issues shared Cook Islands News: July 18, 2008  The Cook Islands was represented among the countries at the South Pacific animal welfare conference in New Zealand recently, thanks to the Esther Honey Foundation. The local animal clinic director, Karen Galvan, returned to Rarotonga yesterday after a four-day workshop held from 28 June to 2 July. Animal welfare representatives from Asia, Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific gathered in Mangere, Auckland, to share information toward improving the lives of island nation animals. “The workshops were informative and inspiring. It was enlightening to learn first hand what humane education projects other Pacific island organisations are developing to better the lives of animals in their communities,” says Galvan. The Cook Islands shares some of the same concerns as other Pacific islands such as inhumane culling (shooting, drowning, stabbing), ignorance (lack of education regarding the humane care of animals) and issues surrounding roaming dogs and homeless animals. “We also share in a passion and determination to work with local bodies to encourage the elimination of cruel behaviours towards animals that are not acceptable in civilised communities,” says Galvan. Cook Islands animals are the beneficiaries of EHF’s WSPA (World Society for the Protection of Animals) member society designation. Galvan says our participation in this by invitation-only event introduces and updates EHF’s programmes to a large group of influential and skilled individuals from around the world. “EHF’s recent scientific census of Rarotonga’s canine population and their upcoming Vet Trek Raro, a mass spay/neuter project, are models for other island nations who have not yet managed to implement services that EHF has made available to Rarotonga. “The conference confirmed that EHF continues to raise the bar for all animal programmes on other island nations and that each step forward leads us closer to our over-all objective, to improve the world for animals, one island at a time,” says Galvan. —EHF _________________________
►Esther Honey takes care of cats on Aitutaki COOK ISLANDS NEWS: May 28, 2008 A total of 114 cats on the outer island of Aitutaki have been desexed, thanks to an Esther Honey Foundation Vet Trek®.  The visits which were held last month also resulted in 125 cats being treated, making a considerable difference to the cat population. There are no dogs on Aitutaki. A number of residents on the island have been extremely appreciative of the efforts of the EHF team. “They did a terrific job and it is greatly appreciated. I hope the organisation can continue to send vets over here from Rarotonga on a regular basis to keep the cats under control,” says Larry Richards. “I think I can speak for many people here on the island who thank them for all the good work that the organisation does,” says Richards. EHF is grateful to Aitutaki vet trek liaisons, Jo-Anne and Jim Brittjin and extend their thanks to all businesses and individuals who enabled EHF to provide service by donating products, services or their time during the two visits – Maria and Allan Mills for lodging; The Dive Centre for their contribution toward the volunteers’ airfares; Pacific Resort and Jason for providing the EHF vet trek clinic site; accommodators Etu Moana, Popoara Ocean Breeze Villas and Sunny Beach Lodge; for meals – Etu Moana, Pacific Resort, TeVaka, Larry Richards and Bishop’s Cruise and activities with Aitutaki Adventures (Puna and Tutu) and Popoara Rentals. — Tara Carr _________________________ ►Canine census, the way forward for island dogs June 2008  In association with The Esther Honey Foundation, US scientist, veterinarian and award winning author, Cynthia Lauren Mills is formulating a model for counting Rarotonga’s dogs in preparation for a mass de-sexing (EHF VET TREK® Raro 08) program to be conducted by EHF this year.EHF is grateful to Aroa Beachside Inn for partnering with EHF and providing accommodation for Dr. Mills during her two week stay on the island. Dr. Mills wrote the following about her work for EHF and island animals: "Sometimes there are just too many dogs. Love them or hate them, it is a fact of life that sometimes in some places there are more dogs than there should be. In Rarotonga that is not as true as it used to be. Having the Esther Honey Foundation has helped to keep their numbers in check. Not very many places in the world have an Esther Honey Foundation clinic. Without a place where you can take dogs for neutering or de-sexing, the dogs continue to breed and breed and produce lots of puppies. Right now the Esther Honey Foundation on Rarotonga is doing its part to help other places where dog populations get too large. We are currently working on a way to count dogs, to conduct a census of dogs the way a nation counts its people, and if it works here the method can be exported to other areas. It also proves that having a clinic on the island helps..." To read Dr. Mill's complete comments: Click Here _________________________ |
 ►NZ'S MASTERPET DONATES TWO PALLETS OF PREMIUM DOG FOOD TO THE EHF ANIMAL CLINIC "THANK YOU MASTERPET!" |
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EHF Affiliations |
EHF: A World Society for the Protection of Animals Member Society since 2001  EHF also extends our gratitude to: The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) The Humane Society International (HSI) The Pegasus Foundation Vets Beyond Borders Worldwide Veterinary Service AIR NEW ZEALAND AIR RAROTONGA AIR TAHITI NUI for their continued support of The Esther Honey Foundation's programs in the South Pacific. OZGRRR |
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95% of EHF's expenditures go directly to Animal Program Services ► To Make a Donation to The Esther Honey Foundation: Click Here |
 EHF does not sell, rent or lend the names or email addresses of our supporters |
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EHF IS NOW ACCEPTING VOLUNTEER APPLICATIONS FOR 2009 Space is still available for VET TREK RARO 2008: ►Experienced vets (3 years or more) September & October ►Vet students and veterinary nurses October & December 21, 2008, forward.  For information about volunteering: Click Here ► "When I was in Rarotonga last year I spent a morning at the EHF centre and was so impressed with the real work that you do. I made a donation there and then and would like to continue to do so. Your work is just so important!!!" Warmest Regards, Ruth Pattinson 8/2008  |
 Esther Honey Foundation Esther Honey Foundation |
Volunteer Veterinary Services Volunteer Veterinary Services |
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