VN August 2023

Augustus 2023 7 Female Vets in Practice of mine. Although working full-time and doing an online MSc was incredibly challenging, it was unbelievably rewarding. I learnt somuch and can really see the direction South Africa needs to take to start aligning with international principles and standards. However, committing to further studies whilst working is a much greater challenge than anyone initially anticipates. This is especially true when we are simultaneously trying to enjoy something yet give our best in our personal and professional lives. We often do not recognize the impact of additional burdens which we choose to carry until we reach breaking point. I hope this MSc degree will allow me to promote tangible change for animal welfare in South Africa and educate and inspire younger generations of vets to consider animal welfare as a career path. Currently, I am working as a locum vet in the private practice sector as well as at an animal welfare organisation. I am also doing some consulting work on Tilapia fish farming (aquaculture) through an international organization called Ethical Seafood Research. I hope one day to be able to balance more welfare consulting work with education and veterinary practice on a full-time scale. Everyone has different needs, and I feel that the flexibility of locumwork suits me the most at the moment. It is important to recognize what works well and what doesn’t work for you in a personal capacity. If something is not working for you, especially in the workplace, try your best to take active steps to change it. Veterinarians are a scarce resource, and we must understand our own value. Part of that value is your personal well-being - physical and mental health. Do not compromise on yourself. Quite a few of the challenges I have faced in the workplace involve people with conservative mindsets. Once, when I was interviewing for a position at a practice, the senior vet who owned the practice told me that he had “no time for animal welfare”, and that he “preferred male vets, because they don’t become as attached to their patients”. This is not exactly the ideal workplace environment for any vet, young or old, to enter into and is not the culture of care that we should be striving for in our profession. I have also had some wonderful mentors, older vets who will protect you and will bend over backwards to help and teach you. We must never underestimate the importance of a work-life balance. We are all guilty of making personal sacrifices to benefit our profession at some point or another. It’s been a few tough lessons, but I like to think that I have learnt to focus more on myself and my relationships than I did previously. I met my now-husband just before I started clinics. I am incredibly fortunate in that my life partner is flexible and supportive, spoils me with coffee everymorning and can cook supper when I’mhome late fromwork, or simply too exhausted to function. I am eternally grateful to my friends and family who form my support system and would encourage all young vets to find a form of support and a non- veterinary outlet or hobby to help balance their lives. I honestly don’t think I would have managed without the support of my loved ones during that period. You cannot help any animal if you are not helping yourself first. Relationships are tricky when you are a vet student, andmore so when you are a working veterinary professional. We are people first, and veterinarians second. v Dr Maaseriti Hlahasoane Most people are inspired to go into the Veterinary Sciences because of their love for animals, and this usually leads them into pursuing a career as a veterinarian. But this is totally different with Colonel (Dr) Maaseriti Christina Hlahasoane the newly appointed Director of Animal Health. This career path was not her plan or her dream. In 1993 I was studying Bachelor of Science in Zoology at the University of the North now known as the University of Limpopo. During my school holidays, one morning my father drove to Pretoria and brought me application forms from the University of Pretoria to complete and study veterinary science, as he did not like the University of Limpopo institution, I never looked back and fortunately, my application was accepted after undergoing selection board. I am a qualified Veterinarian with 23 years of experience, studied Veterinary Science in 1994, from Tembisa Township. In those years it was not an easy journey to study in those career lines mainly because of the language policy, 80 percent Afrikaans and 20 percent English. This ratio, fortunately, improved over the years. In my second year, I had to do my modules in Afrikaans and surprisingly I passed all modules. In June 2000, I graduated as the first and only black female amongst the group from the University of Pretoria Faculty of Veterinary Science. Between 2000 and 2002 after completing my studies, I work at the Welfare Organisation: Animal Anti Cruelty League in Regents Park Johannesburg South, from 2002 to 2005 I moved over to private practice. In 2008, an advertisement posted in the newspaper where the Military was looking for veterinarians stimulated my interest. I applied and that started my Military career. I was appointed to the rank of a Major and underwent all military courses. In 2022 I was promoted and appointed as Director Animal Health. Thereby becoming the first African female to lead the Directorate, previously white male-dominated. Directorate Animal Health of the South African National Defence Force is regarded as a unique discipline as it is the voice of the voiceless animals of the Military.This discipline safeguards the health andwelfare of the working dogs, horses and wildlife that is located in the military terrains. The main function of Animal Health in SANDF is to support the South African Army Specialized Infantry Capability (SAASIC) of the SA Army the owner of the animals. >>> 8