Published Thursday 12 Oct 2017

Hospital surgical supplies are playing a big role in helping Wellington’s smallest – and furriest – patients get the treatment they need and find a good home.

Capital & Coast DHB is now taking surgical instruments and equipment that no longer meet the required standard, and donating them to the Wellington SPCA.

“We have a lot of surgical instruments and equipment that’s been used for years, no longer meets the required standard, and needs to be replaced,” said sustainability officer Valentino Luna Hernandez.

“But just because they no longer meet our standard doesn’t mean they can’t be put to good use, and it would be a shame to see them go to waste. With the SPCA performing a lot of surgeries, it just seemed natural to reach out to them to see if our surplus equipment would be helpful.”

So far, two batches of equipment have been donated – including trays, scissors and surgical screws mainly used for the SPCA’s de-sexing programme.

“The SPCA runs very much on donations and volunteers, so getting this equipment really helps us complete more surgeries,” said vet Rebekah Reid.

“It means more animals can be de-sexed and ready to be adopted into loving homes. The donated equipment also allows us to do more complex surgeries – such as the hip surgery that we’re doing on a puppy in our hospital at the moment.”

Further surgical equipment donations are planned for the future as the DHB continues to reduce the amount of waste it sends to the landfill, while contributing to a great cause at the same time.

Image: Sustainability officer Valentino Luna Hernandez and vet Rebekah Reid with some of Wellington’s smallest furry patients.

Media contact: Chas Te Runa – 027 230 9571