Local animal hospital to help with exotic animal treatment training in Asia
WEST POINT, Miss. (WCBI) – A local animal hospital in West Point is headed to Asia to help train others on how to treat exotic animals.
Associate Veterinarian Dr. Ashley Janzen of Emerson Animal Hospital is headed to Mongolia to serve with V.E.T. Net, an organization that works to expand the knowledge base for veterinarians.
Their particular need is with their exotic pet trade there, which is growing with birds, guinea pigs, and rabbits.
So, the organization reached out to Emerson Animal Hospital as it is one of the only animal hospitals in this area that specializes in treating exotic animals.
Janzen says they will go over the basics of how to handle the animals to spays and neuters, surgical procedures, illnesses, and prolonging the lives of the animals.
Janzen and Dr. Karen Emerson said exotic animals are a passion of theirs, and they are excited to bring more knowledge to other parts of the globe.
“These guys deserve care, too. They are not cats and dogs and people sometimes look at them as almost a lesser species or, ‘oh its just a snake, I don’t need to take them in or, oh its just a bird I don’t need to take them in’ but they still feel pain, they still have emotions, they still experience joy and being able to get medical care for them and make sure that they have we’ll rounded, fully fulfilled lives I think is a vital experience for them so they can live long and happy lives,” said Dr. Janzen.
“When she first approached me with it, I was a little hesitant, you know, her being gone for 2 weeks, but then when we talked about it and saw everything and all the opportunity this is going to be to not just spread our exotic medicine here, but to get it across the world, it’s amazing. Because they don’t have the things we do here, you know, they don’t have all the different drugs we do here. So she’s going over there, basically bare-boned, trying to teach them about this exotic trade and use the tools they have to better their exotic program, which they really don’t even have an exotic program. She is going to help build it. So, I think it’s an amazing thing for her to do. I was just so happy that she’s been with me for 6 years, and I’ve mentored her a lot, and I’m so glad she’s getting to go do this opportunity. I’m very proud of her,” said Dr. Emerson.
This will be a two – week trip and Janzen will go on June 6.
