Community
Community Veterinary Care
Dr Hilldidge Beer launched EberVet Community Veterinary Care (CVC) in 2006, offering free pet sterilisation and basic health care to pet owners in underprivileged communities across the Helderberg, Overberg and Karoo. This was in line with a South African Veterinary Association initiative which called on veterinary surgeons to donate their time and skills to impoverished pet owners, many of whom have no access to veterinary care – either because they cannot afford it, or because there is no resident vet in their town.
Giving your pets away must be done responsibly
Spay day adds sunshine to wintery weather
Pitbulls steri attracts wide support
Rescue mission: Nieu Bethesda 2022
Mandela Day 2020 exceeds expectations
Mandela Day 2020: saving pets’ lives
Ebervet Training Academy aids animal welfare
Prince Albert Dieresorg makes the grade
Soné Sings for pet sterilisation
Animal welfare workers must practice self-care
And two more donkeys join the EberVet family
Welcoming our newest donkey friend, Popeye
1000 pet sterilisations done for free!
Prince Albert: October 2016
Karoo Animal Protection Society: Sept 2016
Greyton: August 2016
Mandela Day pet sterilisation clinic
Dr Beer reunited with Spotty the dog
Sterilisation clinic a success
Community Impact Projects
EberVet Community Impact Projects extend beyond our service to animals. We believe that to truly impact a community’s animals, you must establish a relationship with their owners so we are committed to four community projects every year – environmental, educational, social and animal. Our staff volunteer to serve these projects and to raise funds and donations for them.
Nieu Bethesda spay triumph for CVC
Greyton spayathon a sweaty success
Spay day adds sunshine to wintery weather
Children learning to love animals
The best way to impact a community is to begin with its children. By educating children about pet care at a young age we’re growing a nation of pet owners who understand that pets feel pain, cold, heat, and hunger; that they need love, shelter and playtime
Education is key to growing empathy and compassion but hand in hand is the need to appreciate and understand the challenges communities face which often hamper behavioural change. To this end, EberVet assesses, with the help of community leaders, what we can do on the ground to make an environment more comfortable and receptive to education. For example, a recent EberVet CIP project provided a soup kitchen for children who brought their animals for free rabies vaccinations.
At EberVet we believe that world in which we live should be one we are proud of and can function in optimally. Environmental protection is thus important to us and once a year our teams volunteer for environmental projects that make a real difference, like removing litter and plastics from beaches which severely impact marine life.
“The CVC concept was something that appealed to me straight away,” says Dr Beer. “The need in South Africa for such services is huge and I have the time, the skills (I love surgery) and temperament, I suppose, to be able to respond to these needs.”
Says Jill Gauntlett, chairperson of Prince Albert Dieresorg/Animal Welfare (PADS) in the Karoo: “Without Dr Beer’s support we are unlikely to have ever launched our welfare organisation and now we have several vets supporting us with sterilisation. This has had a profound impact on animal numbers and on the general health of our animal population. Their enthusiasm for the work that they do in often uncomfortable and unpleasant circumstances inspires and motivates us to keep going and to do more.”
In response, Dr Beer recites a favourite quote:
We make a living from what we get, but we make a life from what we give.
How you can help
While Dr Beer willingly donates her time and skills to these clinics, she relies on donors to fund the medicines needed like anaesthetics, dewormers, and inoculations; transport to and from the clinics (she covers thousands of kilometres each year) and a salary for a nurse. Often Dr Beer will also be asked to assist with emergency cases in towns where there is no resident vet, supplying additional drugs, sutures and surgery time.
Donate below. Even the smallest donation makes the biggest difference.