Guide for veterinarians

Hi there! We’re Arman and Laura, two Belgian veterinarians who swapped the rainy skies of Belgium for a grand adventure. With our trusty Volkswagen van, we traveled overland through 17 countries, eventually making it all the way to Malaysia. Along the way, we worked with domestic animals and wildlife, fulfilling a dream that started during our student days

Let’s rewind a bit. Back in Belgium, we spent seven intense years at the University of Ghent, earning our Master’s in Veterinary Medicine with magna cum laude (not to brag, but we did study hard between all those travel plans). Even as students, we dreamed of combining our love for animals, nature, and travel. That dream first took shape in South Africa, where we volunteered with Nele Sabbe, a Belgian wildlife vet specializing in rhinoceros conservation. That experience was unforgettable and confirmed our calling to pursue a career in wildlife medicine.

But here’s the thing: breaking into wildlife veterinary work is not as easy as cuddling elephants and feeding lions every day. There are some pretty big hurdles:
* Lack of information about wildlife medicine.
* Lack of experience with wildlife.
* Lack of contacts to help you get started.

We’ve been there, sending emails, attending seminars, and hearing the same vague advice: “You need to connect with the right people.” Great, but how? We’ll spare you the vague answers and share what we learned the hard way.

The Reality of Wildlife Medicine
Unless you’re planning to study wildlife and zoo medicine at the University of London (hello, big tuition fees!), your best bet is to move to a country with wildlife. But here’s a catch: you’ll need to get your diploma approved in that country, which can be costly, time-consuming, and full of red tape. Even then, wildlife jobs are tough to land and often don’t pay well.
So, we took another route: volunteering. Volunteering can be a great way to gain experience, but it’s also become a bit of a money-making business. Many programs charge sky-high fees, even for domestic animal work. We’re not saying it’s all bad—there are pros and cons—but it’s frustrating to pay to work for free
During our travels, we managed to find a few opportunities in Asia to follow wildlife vets without the hefty price tag. Was it glamorous? Not exactly. It involved hard work, lots of emails, and a good dose of persistence. But it was worth it.

The Reality of Domestic Animal Work
For domestic animal work, the same challenges apply. It’s easier than wildlife work, but still difficult to find opportunities where you can perform surgeries, handle interesting cases, and not pay a fortune to do it (let alone get paid). This is especially true for beginning vets.
Additionally, a significant obstacle is that many countries do not allow foreign vets to work or even volunteer. The reasoning? They fear it could reduce opportunities for local vets. While this is theoretically correct, the reality is often different. In many countries, there are overwhelming numbers of animals in need, and local vets may lack the funding, time, or energy to help them all. So, if foreign vets are willing to step in and provide assistance, why should that be a problem?

Despite these hurdles, we found some opportunities to work with dogs and cats, mainly in shelter settings. These experiences allowed us to improve our skills in basic surgeries, shelter medicine, and treating tropical diseases. It wasn’t always easy, but it was incredibly rewarding and an essential part of our journey

Our Advice to Aspiring Wildlife and Domestic Animal Vets
– Do your research. There’s no one-size-fits-all path, but knowing the challenges helps. Look into diploma recognition, country-specific requirements, and costs.
– Reach out. Networking is key. Email vets, attend conferences, and don’t be afraid to ask questions.
– Stay realistic. Working with animals isn’t all sunshine and cuddles. It’s rewarding but also challenging.
– Be resourceful. Look for lesser-known opportunities. Volunteering doesn’t always have to cost a fortune if you’re willing to dig a little deeper.

Our journey has taught us a lot, and we’re here to help you skip some of the roadblocks we hit. Stick around—we’ll be sharing more tips, stories, and advice to help you pursue your own international veterinary adventure!