Palatine native travels to Thailand to save elephants

This summer, Sally Ploch, 20, of Palatine, spent two weeks in Thailand helping animals and learning hands-on what it's like to be a veterinarian. Traveling with the Boston-based Loop Abroad, Ploch was part of a small team that volunteered to give care at a dog shelter and then spent a week working directly with rescued elephants at an elephant sanctuary.

The Veterinary Service program brings students to Thailand for two weeks to volunteer alongside a staff veterinarian. For one week, students volunteer at the Animal Rescue Kingdom dog shelter in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The shelter is home to over 100 dogs that have been rescued after being abandoned, beaten or abused. While the dogs can be adopted, any who aren't will be cared for by the shelter for their whole lives.

While they learned what it's like to be a veterinarian, students made a difference in the lives of these dogs. By providing checkups and cleanings, diagnosing and treating ear and eye problems, taking and testing blood, administering vaccines, cleaning and treating wounds and helping with sterilization surgeries, the students were able to help support the health and well-being of these dogs.

The group also spent one week at the Elephant Nature Park in northern Thailand to work hands-on with the animals and learn about animal rescue and conservation on a larger scale. The Elephant Nature Park is home to over 40 elephants who have been rescued from trekking, logging, or forced breeding programs. Many of them have been abused and suffer from chronic injuries. At the Elephant Nature Park, they are cared for by volunteers from all over the world. Students were able to feed, bathe, and care for elephants, as well as learning about their diagnoses alongside an elephant vet. The Elephant Nature Park is also home to over 400 dogs and 100 cats, as well as rabbits and water buffalo, and is sustained in huge part by the work of weekly volunteers like Ploch.

Loop Abroad has programs for students and young adults age 14 to 30, and offers financial aid and fundraising help to make their trips accessible to the greatest number of students. Interested participants can inquire or apply at www.LoopAbroad.com.

"One of the most interesting parts of my trip to Thailand was getting the opportunity to see how veterinary medicine is practiced in an area with less resources," Ploch said. "It was a humbling learning experience".

Ploch is a student at Loyola University majoring in molecular biology.

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