Vet Assistant in Wellington

Building vet assistant knowledge in Wellington

Wellington has two animal hospitals that serve the wider community as well as their own animals. At Wellington Zoo, The Nest Te Kōhanga is the zoo's animal hospital and native wildlife centre. It has seven rehabilitation rooms and a saltwater pool, and it has treated more than 5,000 sick and injured native wildlife patients. The zoo says a typical day includes health checks, x-rays, blood sampling, medication and surgery. The Nest also serves as a learning base for veterinary, veterinary nursing and biological sciences students. Since 2007 the zoo has partnered with Massey University on a master's programme in zoo animal and wildlife health, hosting four qualified vets each year.

In Newtown, the SPCA Wellington Centre, known as the Margaret Doucas Animal Hospital, runs a full veterinary hospital for SPCA animals and community emergencies. The zoo recruits volunteers for The Nest Te Kōhanga. These volunteers help hospital staff with day-to-day and administrative tasks and must follow strict hygiene standards around sick and injured animals.