Veterinary Program
This volunteer program addresses the growing need for accessible and affordable veterinary care for local communities. The clinic operates with limited resources and serves a large number of animals, including both pets and working animals, such as donkeys and goats.
Volunteers help reduce the workload of local veterinarians, improve the quality of care for animals, and contribute to raising awareness among owners about proper animal health, nutrition, and welfare.
Your involvement helps the clinic maintain continuity of care and ensures that more animals can receive necessary treatment.
Role
Veterinary Assistant
Partner Organisation
Combo Veterinary Services
Location
Senegambia, The Gambia
Language
English (basic local phrases welcome)
Type of Travel
Study Visit / Voluntary Work / Group Expedition
Availability
Open year-round (closed during public/school holidays per national calendar)
Duration
Minimum 2 weeks; maximum duration is not limited.
Schedule
Mon–Fri, 08:00–13:00; typical volunteer shift 3–5 hours/day
About Combo Veterinary Service
Kombo Veterinary Services is a modern veterinary clinic in Kerr Serign, The Gambia, dedicated to the health and well-being of domestic animals. It was established to provide the local community and foreign residents with high-quality veterinary care based on expertise, compassion, and trust.
The clinic offers a wide range of services—from routine check-ups, vaccinations, and preventive care to advanced diagnostics such as laboratory tests, ultrasound, and digital X-rays. They also perform surgical procedures in a well-equipped operating room under the care of experienced veterinarians.
Kombo Veterinary Services assists with documentation for animals traveling abroad, including microchipping, rabies vaccination, and issuing international pet passports, helping owners ensure their animals are healthy and ready for safe travel.
The clinic is an important part of the community, promoting responsible pet ownership and better animal care, and contributing to an improved quality of life for both animals and people in The Gambia.
Why your help matters
Animals in nearby villages often have little or no access to basic veterinary care. Many families live in modest conditions and cannot afford regular visits to a veterinarian.
Because resources are limited, volunteers are a crucial part of the clinic’s daily operations—they help with animal care, maintaining the space, and providing essential support.
Your presence brings:
extra support with daily veterinary tasks,
additional hands for caring, feeding, and monitoring animals,
assistance with clinical examinations and minor procedures,
more time for veterinarians to focus on urgent cases,
new ideas and knowledge that improve the clinic’s work and animal care,
donations and materials that make it possible to run the clinic, perform sterilizations, treat injured animals, and support the local community.
Volunteering at the veterinary clinic requires compassion, flexibility, initiative, and a willingness to work alongside local staff. Your help directly improves the well-being of both the animals and the people who care for them.
Role overview (what you’ll do) — under staff supervision
- Welcoming patients to the clinic
- Collecting medical history (anamnesis) from owners
- Assisting with clinical examinations
- Preparing and administering medications or vaccines
- Handling and restraining animals during examinations or minor procedures
- Weighing animals upon arrival
- Cleaning and dressing wounds
- Assisting with minor surgeries (castrations, sterilizations)
- Feeding and providing basic care for animals in the hospital area
- Advising owners on proper nutrition and animal care
- Administering internal and external antiparasitic treatments
Who we’re looking for
Work takes place in a veterinary clinic, so basic veterinary knowledge is desirable — especially for understanding procedures, assisting during treatments, and performing simple tasks independently.
However, professional knowledge is not the most important factor. What truly matters is a strong sense of compassion for animals and empathy for their owners, along with respect for local customs and cultural differences.
Desirable personal qualities include:
- Initiative and willingness to learn
- Adaptability and resourcefulness when working with limited equipment
- Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
- Emotional resilience and readiness for challenging situations
- Respect for local culture and openness to intercultural collaboration
Training & supervision
Volunteers receive an introduction and orientation upon arrival. A local veterinarian or appointed supervisor provides guidance throughout the placement, explains daily procedures, and ensures safety when handling animals.
Volunteers are gradually entrusted with more responsibility based on their skills and comfort level.
Daily supervision is provided, and questions or difficulties can always be addressed directly with the clinic staff.
How to prepare
- Bring protective gloves, closed-toe shoes, and light but durable clothing suitable for working with animals.
- Vaccination against rabies is strongly recommended due to the nature of the work.
- Review basic veterinary terms and common animal diseases before arrival.
- Bring a notebook, hand disinfectant, and wound-cleaning supplies if possible.
Program Goals
Striving to create a pleasant, safe, and respectful environment for animals and their owners; contributing to better care for animals from surrounding villages; assisting with daily tasks in the clinic, including animal care, treatment, and recovery; collaborating with veterinarians and experienced volunteers while exchanging knowledge and skills; and promoting responsible pet ownership by raising awareness about the importance of prevention and hygiene.
Wish list
Protective gloves, antiparasitic treatments, medicines, animal food, collars, leashes, blankets, and towels.
How it works?
Click HERE to learn everything you need to know—in one place—about how volunteering with us works and how to prepare.
Stories of Our Volunteers
Zala Košir
This can’t be started differently than to say that the experience was amazing, and it truly warmed my heart. If you are thinking of going to The Gambia as a volunteer, don’t wait any longer – just go for it. You won’t regret it. I know I should start at the beginning, so I’ll go back now.