Jersey Zoo has recently benefitted from a donation of medical equipment given by Health and Community Services.
For some time, Health and Community Services (HCS) has supported Jersey Zoo when animals require urgent surgical procedures, including when animals have needed general anaesthetics.
The equipment that has been donated includes two GE Medical Anaesthetic machines and two Anetic Aid patient trolleys to replace the zoo’s existing machines. The equipment will support the team at Jersey Zoo to provide care for the animals if any surgical interventions are required.
Planned Care Lead for the Surgical Services Group, Jemma Hammond, said: “Medical devices need to be changed regularly to make sure they meet health and safety requirements and align to advancements in technology. We recently had to purchase new anaesthetic equipment, and we wanted to ensure that the equipment that was no longer required by HCS, went to a good home.
“We have a long-standing relationship with the zoo and, as the equipment they use does not need to meet the same stringent requirements needed for human use, we wanted to keep supporting them as much as we can. This is an excellent learning experience for all the teams involved and helps support the health of the animals at Jersey Zoo.”
Dr Allan Muir, Head of Veterinary Services at Jersey Zoo, added: “We are extremely grateful for the continued support from the Government of Jersey. At Jersey Zoo, we work with some of the rarest species in the world, so any time we need to undertake a medical procedure it is imperative that we give our animals the best possible care.
“There are a lot of crossovers between the health and medical care of animals and humans, having this new equipment will allow us to better monitor and ventilate the diverse array of patients we anaesthetise here at the zoo’s hospital. Additionally, the trolleys will be invaluable when it comes to future procedures on the orangutans and gorillas in the zoo.’’
Pictured: Members of staff from HCS and Jersey Zoo with some of the donated equipment.
