Student volunteers in Thailand with veterinary groups

GREENVILLE, Pa.-- Thiel College student Camille Radford ’18, of Baltimore, recently spent two weeks in Thailand caring for elephants and other animals. As part of a veterinary training program, Radford and other volunteers learned about the treatment of dogs, rabbits, cats, water buffalo and elephants.

Radford—a biology and English major at Thiel—is a 2013 graduate of Baltimore City College High School. She traveled to Thailand with the Boston-based group Loop Abroad. Their veterinary service program takes college students overseas to learn alongside local veterinarians from two different shelters in Thailand.      

In the first week, students volunteered at the Animal Rescue Kingdom dog shelter in Chiang Mai, Thailand—a facility that houses more than 100 rescued dogs. The group then spent the second week at the Elephant Nature Park in northern Thailand to work with pachyderms and learn about animal rescue and conservation. The Elephant Nature Park is home to more than 40 elephants that have been rescued from trekking, logging or forced breeding programs. Students feed, bathe and care for the animals, as well as learn to diagnose them alongside an elephant vet. The park is sustained by weekly volunteers like Radford from all around the globe.

 “Being over 20 hours away from home and put into a different culture was incredible,” Radford said. “I grew up in those two weeks away and became a more aware person. Going to Thailand opened my eyes to everything I took for granted in the states. I would not hesitate to go overseas again because it's the most life changing experience I have ever had.”