THIS month Bodfari vet Patrick Sells returned home from a four month research trip to Morocco.

Patrick, who worked in a veterinary practice in Caerwys, set off to Marrakech in November - on his motorbike - in a 3,100 miles sponsored bike trip to raise awareness for SPANA (the Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad).

The British charity helps local vets and governments in countries like North Africa to treat malnourished animals who often suffer terrible injuries because the owners cannot afford to lose money by resting their animals.

Patrick went to Morocco to work in the Atlas Mountains to volunteer his services as a vet as well as carry out a study on harness-induced injury in donkeys, mules and ponies.


UPON graduation from Liverpool Vet School in July 2007, I promised myself to make a real effort in helping the situation of equine suffering in the developing world.

"By the time I rode out of Leahurst on Monday, November 19 I had managed to raise over £10,000 in company sponsorship, money and equipment for SPANA.

"After suffering serious weather conditions for the first four days, a breakdown in France, and black ice in the Pyrenees I began to see why people had thought me naive to attempt this trip in winter, having only just passed my test!

"However after much adventure, and against the odds I arrived in Marrakech after 11 days - in one piece, and was welcomed heartily into the SPANA refuge.

"This was the first of three hospitals in which I would work as a volunteer vet, helping under the supervision of the resident Moroccan vets.

"I found the day to day work extremely rewarding. Being part of the veterinary team, I was encouraged to take responsibility for cases as they came in and carry out initial work-ups.

"At the Midelt and Khemmiset refuges I was sometimes the only vet present when a case came in. Although obliged to contact the vet in charge before carrying out any major procedures, being in this situation forced me to have self-confidence and practice decision-making.

"Sometimes I was confronted with something I'd never even read about before, much less seen in my initial mixed practice months.

"Whilst working at the clinics I was able to develop a number of skills. My command of the French language improved considerably, and I made an effort to learn basic Arabic and Berber. In the remote regions this was a necessity, as English (and often French) was not spoken.

"I took advantage of the highly experienced SPANA technicians to learn the skills of farriery and dentistry, both of which are much needed vocations in the clinics.

"Due to a combination of poverty and ignorance these basic needs are often overlooked by the owners of working equids in Morocco.

"A high proportion of mature animals seen at the clinics (for whatever reason) were in need of foot trimming, tooth rasping, or both.

"Lame animals with chronic horn overgrowth and hoof imbalances were not uncommon.

"Just as lameness was frequently a result of neglected feet, emaciation and anorexia were often a result of neglected teeth.

"Another valuable skill I was able to develop was that of wound management. A combination of over-working and inappropriate harnessing was responsible for a high incidence of chronic wounds in patients seen at the clinics.

"Animals with acute wounds were also frequently presented, usually due to working in close proximity with motorised traffic.

"Whilst working at the clinics I was also able to develop my surgical skills, thanks to the encouragement and expertise of the resident Moroccan vets. Operations of note included carrying out my first castration on a mule, removing a 4kg testicular tumour from a donkey, and repairing an umbilical hernia in a mule foal.

I was lucky enough to get plenty of experience in dealing with these acute trauma cases."

See next week's Seven Days for part two of Patrick's report.