A Liverpool-based vet has returned home after saving 175 animals in Sri Lanka.
Kate Marriner, 25, helped to deliver life-saving treatment to animals in one of the country’s most neglected regions.
In January, she joined the UK and Sri Lankan charity, Lucas Helps Dogs, on a three-day spay and neuter clinic in Yala, a remote region with no access to veterinary care.
Kate, alongside a team of nine other European volunteers and 15 Sri Lankan vets carried out spay and neuter surgeries and administered 175 rabies vaccinations.
On the experience, Kate said: “It was a very worthwhile use of time.
“It was the only way that we can effectively make a long-term difference compared to just treating and feeding dogs and cats on the street.”
The clinic received strong community support, with local families bringing both pets and street animals for treatment, many for the first time in their lives.
Following the success of the Yala clinic, Lucas Helps Dogs has confirmed plans for a larger clinic in February 2027.
Alena Warburton, founder of the charity, said the success of the clinic shows the need for sustainable, long-term intervention.
She said: “Short term fixes don’t work. Spay and neuter clinics are the only proven, humane way to reduce suffering long term. What Kate and the team achieved in Yala shows what’s possible when skilled professionals and local communities work together, and it’s why we’re already planning to return.”
The charity is now seeking veterinary professionals willing to volunteer on the ground, as well as UK-based fundraisers to help make the next mission possible.
Details on how to get involved are available at: https://www.lucashelpsdogs.com/volunteers
