Orang… and Jersey answered

Friday 31 August 2018

Bandages, syringes and a vaporiser have made their way from Jersey to help our endangered orange ape friends across the globe thanks to a special donation from a local animal charity.

The JSPCA, which runs the island’s animal shelter, might be used to receiving donations, but this month it spread the goodwill by sending boxes of supplies to Indonesia and Malaysia-based Orangutan Veterinary Aid (OVAID).

Formed in 2014, OVAID provides veterinary equipment, medicines and practical veterinary presence and assistance for orang-utan rescue groups and centres in Indonesia and Malaysia.

Among the JSPCA's two boxes of donations were syringes, bandages and suture material, as well as other pieces of equipment no longer in use - including a vaporiser that was handed over at just the right moment, and could now go on to help over a dozen orangutans in urgent need.

"We appealed to the veterinary community and asked for charities that would accept the donation of the Anaesthetic Vaporiser which we no longer needed. OVAID were the only charity who would be able to make use of this piece of equipment," a JSPCA spokesperson explained.

"When our Veterinary Department Manager, Jenna, got in contact with OVAID, their CEO Nigel mentioned they also accept donations of out of date consumables, which we had a fair few of from people donating to us and consumables which we no longer required."

While the JSPCA say they are very lucky to receive donations of consumables which are no longer required or out of date from care homes and the Jersey General Hospital, this was the first time they had donated anything in the same fashion. The team hopes it won't be the last.

They said: "This is something which we are hoping to continue to reduce waste and ensure consumables such as unused syringes, needles, bandages etc can be used by other worthwhile charities. We are able to use some of the consumables donated but for those pieces of equipment we can’t use, this is where the sending to other charities comes into play."

Video: OVAID's Co Founder and vet Nigel Hicks present the charity's work.

OVAID was delighted to receive the donations, which were described as "very much appreciated and desperately needed." One piece of equipment was an old anaesthetic vaporiser. The charity's co-founders, Nigel and Sara Hicks, said it couldn't have come at a better time.

“We here at OVAID are so grateful for the support we receive not only direct from supporters but also from veterinary practices around the UK. These supplies are vital for the orangutan rescue teams working in remote locations in Indonesia where many things are unavailable. Sometimes what is needed can be simple but vital things like swabs, suture materials, catheters etc... which we take for granted here in veterinary practice in the UK." 

Mr Hicks added: "Sara and I have just this week returned from Indonesia and whilst there we received an urgent plea from an orangutan vet with more than 20 orangutans in his care for guess what? Yes, a vaporiser."

The vaporiser is currently being serviced, calibrated and will be on its way to Indonesia in October.