Work

Community and Volunteering

Dr Jackson is extremely driven to improve animal welfare worldwide. Since childhood, she has always been passionate about helping animals and this was the reason she became a veterinarian.

In 2014, when she was asked to volunteer to assist the working ponies on the Gili Islands in Indonesia, it was a simple decision to go and see what she could do to help. The project grew considerably, becoming an annual trip, and assisting multiple other veterinarians, vet nurses, vet students and farriers from around Australia and the world to become involved.

She has also spent many hours of her own time sewing harness padding and girth covers for the ponies, organising donations, and speaking to clubs and organisations about the plight of the ponies.

Since 2016, she has also been a committee member for Animal Aid Abroad, which runs front line veterinary clinics for working animals in developing countries around the world. Any spare time is spent assisting with organising fundraising events as well as providing veterinary advice to partner organisations around the world to further assist working animals in need.

In 2016, Dr Jackson was nominated and selected as a finalist in the ‘Vet of the Year’ category of the CEVA Animal Welfare Awards, an international awards event, which recognises ‘individuals and teams… who go above and beyond the call of duty for the welfare of animals’..

Dr Jackson treating the working ponies on the Gili Islands in Indonesia during one of her volunteer trips.

Vet students also working hard to help the ponies on the Gili Islands.

This is ‘Oscar’, one of the ponies that cart the rubbish around the island. These photos were taken before and after intervention. Animal Aid Abroad now sponsor the rubbish ponies and proper feed is provided for them so they are much healthier.

If you would like to support Animal Aid Abroad, they also supply medications, etc. for the clinics on the Gili Islands and in other developing countries. Dr Jackson always pays her own expenses so all money donated goes straight to the animals. Please visit the link below.