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A Truly Exotic Volunteer Vacation: Saving Animals In The Cook Islands

In 1993, an American tourist visiting Rarotonga befriended a dog named Honey and quickly realized that there were no veterinary services available for the thousands of dogs and cats on the island. That same tourist, Cathy Sue Ragan-Anunsen, took action as soon as she returned home and, with the help of her Oregon community, established the Cook Islands' only veterinary hospital, including an all-volunteer veterinary team.

In its 14-year history, Ragan-Anunsen’s organization, which she named The Ester Honey Foundation after her grandmother and Honey, the first dog she met in Rarotonga, has treated 24,000 animals and sterilized 10,000 for free. EHF has also recruited nearly 200 veterinarians and hundreds of other volunteers from a dozen countries.

The organization has now reached out to animals in additional remote locations, like on the islands of Aitutaki, Atiu, Mangaia, Mauke, Mitiaro and Bora Bora via more than 100 "Vet Trek" clinics. Their next trip to Mangaia leaves Monday.

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