Dulce Flores expanded her veterinary knowledge in Chiang Mai, Thailand, working with elephants, cats and dogs through wildlife conservation and community clinics
Veterinary Technology student Dulce Flores took her love for animals across the world to Chiang Mai, Thailand to explore her veterinary passions in a brand-new environment. This eye-opening experience covered wildlife conservation, along with integrating people's needs with animal needs.
While in Thailand, Flores’ primary goal was to help wildlife and learn from multiple veterinarians. She primarily focused on elephants, working in small groups of two to three students to observe the animals. Flores particularly studied their diets, tracking what the elephants were fed, how much food they received and how often they ate. Aside from their diet, Flores’ group studied how much they walked and exercised throughout the day, which led her team to discover new social behaviors as the elephants interacted with each other. Flores also rated the elephants Body Condition Score, which is a measure of health based on their appearance.
“After we observed the elephants, we then gave a presentation of our findings and what we would possibly change in their diet and or exercise,” Flores said. “One thing most of us pitched was maybe adding more enrichment for the elephants.”
Elephants weren’t the only animal Flores and her peers explored. She also participated in spay and neuter clinics for cats and dogs, helping provide care and vaccines to animals in the Chiang Mai community. The clinic, Loop Abroad, works with the Dog Rescue Clinic, a nonprofit that runs solely on donations and provides all treatments free of charge.
“Spay neuter clinics are a plus for any community, reducing the number of unwanted cats and dogs is a good thing whether in Grand Junction or in Chiang Mai, especially if it saves money for the owners,” said Veterinary Technology Program Director and Instructor of Veterinary Technology Anneke Moresco, PhD.
Flores and her fellow students gained a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work closely with wildlife, learn from experts in the field and receive guidance from teachers that want to see each student succeed. Chiang Mai, Thailand is a melting pot of various animals that aren’t seen in the U.S., giving Flores the chance to expand her knowledge, deepen her skills and strengthen her dedication to veterinary care.