When the HESC was founded, contact was established with the Onderstepoort Veterinary Faculty of the University of Pretoria to provide specialized veterinary support to the Centre. Dr. Gerrit Scheepers from Phalaborwa, provided local veterinary services to the Centre until 1995.
The combined magnitude of veterinary care functions escalated to such an extent that a veterinary clinic with a surgery and animal hospital was established on the premises in 1995. Dr Peter Rogers was appointed as a full time veterinarian during the same year. He occupied the position until 2002 when he resigned to establish a practice in Hoedspruit. Thereafter, the late Prof. D. Meltzer, who was involved as principle advisor and mentor to the HESC since its establishment, was then appointed as veterinarian and manager of the Centre. Since Prof.'s passing, Dr. Rogers remains on standby for instances when his services are required.
Veterinary support facilities
To control contagious diseases that may be carried by animals brought to the Centre, a large camp with quarantine facilities and suitable holding facilities was built adjacent to the animal hospital. All animals that are brought to the Centre are kept in this facility for a period of six weeks. During this period the animals are monitored and all the necessary tests performed to establish if the animals are free of contagious diseases or if they are carriers of controlled diseases. Where possible, these facilities are made available to accredited institutions that may need to use the quarantine and holding areas. The Department of Environmental Affairs of the Limpopo Province also utilizes this quarantine facility as the need may arise.
Animal Care
Continuous prophylactic care is administered for the following:
Deworming: Different drugs, eg Nemex powder and Prazifen tablets (the tables are powdered and administered with food) are used as determined by the age and weight of the animal.
Tick Control
Deworming
Fly Control
Cat flu and herpes
Rabies
