The next generation of wildlife vets in Laos

Jenny knew she wanted to be a wildlife vet from her very first visit to Tat Kuang Si Bear Sanctuary as a child.

Her father, Lar, worked there as a bear carer. One day she joined him at work, excited to see the bears up close. She helped scatter food for them and watched as they climbed, foraged and explored their forested enclosures.

But alongside the joy of seeing rescued bears, she saw something that shocked her. One of the bears was missing a paw and an eye - injuries from his traumatic life before rescue.

It was the first time Jenny saw the harsh reality facing wildlife in Laos.

In that moment, she decided she wanted to be part of the solution, building a better future for bears and other wildlife.

Jenny went on to study veterinary science at the National University of Laos (NUoL). Previously, veterinary training in Laos focused largely on domestic animals. Wildlife medicine was not a core part of the curriculum, despite Laos' extraordinary biodiversity and the threats local wildlife face.

That gap is exactly why Free the Bears, in partnership with the Elephant Conservation Centre, the Laos Conservation Trust for Wildlife, and NUoL, funds and delivers a dedicated Wildlife and Conservation Medicine Module at the university.

Through a combination of classroom learning and hands-on placements at our sanctuaries and partner rescue centres, veterinary students like Jenny gain practical skills in wildlife handling, diagnostics, husbandry and conservation-focused veterinary care.

They learn not only how to treat wild animals medically, but how to approach their care within a broader conservation context, working with both local experts and specialists from around the world.

Jenny completed her university studies and internships, and today, she works for Free the Bears as a Junior Veterinarian at the Luang Prabang Wildlife Sanctuary.

Her father, Lar, is still with us at Free the Bears, as Animal Manager at the same sanctuary.

They work side by side, two generations dedicated to protecting bears in Laos.

Jenny's journey reflects why this program matters, ensuring wildlife in Laos have skilled wildlife vets on the ground, ready to protect them now and into the future.