Future Vet Kids Camp is a veterinary-inspired face-to-face and virtual program where students learn about different animal-related professions, genetic diseases, pet nutrition, surgery, animal rescue and wildlife conservation.
“My favourite part was going to the farm where we got hands-on experience with the farm animals – we got to touch ‘Lucky’ the goat, milk the cows and we also learnt about how smart the Cattle Dogs are.
“I also really loved going to the zoo. We went behind the scenes and visited the hospital where we saw how to do anaesthetics and X-rays,” said Michaela Ross, Sydney camper.
Each year PetSure offers scholarships for students to attend the camp.
PetSure CEO Alex Thomas said, “PetSure is proud to support the Future Vet Kids Camp by offering five scholarships each year to young aspiring vets to give them a unique opportunity to learn about animal health, and to visit state-of-the-art veterinary hospitals.
“At PetSure, we’re committed to pet health education and we’re thrilled to be part of a program that inspires young animal lovers to join the veterinary industry and pursue their passions.”
Rebecca Halcomb, a 2021 recipient of PetSure’s scholarship for the Future Kids Vet Camp, was recently accepted to study veterinary science at Charles Sturt University for 2023. Rebecca believes her camp and scholarship experience was pivotal to helping her secure her university placement.
“When I heard about the Future Vet Kids Camp, I thought it would be a great next step to learn about the vet industry but I couldn’t afford to attend due to financial hardship in my family.
“The PetSure scholarship was a game changer for me, allowing me to attend the camp, learn more about aspects of my dream career and affirm my goals for the next couple of years.
“I loved learning to suture, working through case studies and visiting specialists, although my overall favourite experience was the ultrasound workshop, where we were able to use the probe on a live animal and learn about the value of this diagnostic tool in a clinical setting,” she said.
Frank, who heads up the logistics of the Future Vet Kids Camp said that the Autumn camp was well received, and a lot of new friendships were formed.
The kids loved baking the doggy treats, learning about animal nutrition, a trip to the Zoo where they were even allowed to go “back of house” to the lion enclosure, enjoyed talks by animal experts, a trip to a rescue center, watched Dr. Audrey perform live surgery, and later were able to practice their skills on real veterinary teaching models.
We asked Dr. Audrey what her take was on this year’s Autumn camp, and this is what she said:
“Many are aspiring vets and vet nurses. Their enthusiasm to learn made me excited to have them in surgery. The best part was some of the return students Face Timing some of their old campers’ friends that couldn’t make this camp and were excited to hear they will be back to join us as a big group in January!
It’s so great to see kids that attend the camp have a shared passion for animals and that these like-minded kids form lifelong friendships”.
Pet insurance can help by covering a portion of the eligible vet bill if the unexpected happens. Because it is difficult to predict the costs of veterinary care, it can help to have measures in place to help prepare for the unexpected. Check out our partner network and explore our policy tools to find a pet insurance policy.
Not all conditions or items are covered by Pet Insurance. Refer to the applicable Product Disclosure Statement for information about coverage and exclusions.