An afternoon with the Animal Ambulance

Rini Stegeman (69) has been a volunteer at the Animal Ambulance for eight years. As an animal caregiver, she rides along on the animal ambulance one to two times a week. We were allowed to join her for an afternoon.Rini: “I never know in advance how a day will unfold. One thing I always know for sure: it’s never boring!”
Provide first aid“As an animal rescuer, I take care of the well-being of animals that are injured or otherwise in need of help. This can include: providing first aid, transporting the injured or sick animal to a veterinarian, picking up living stray animals, providing assistance to animals on behalf of the Police or Fire Department, and retrieving deceased animals (both wild, stray, and pets).”Sure, please provide the text you would like me to translate.
Love for animals“I grew up in a family where everyone had all kinds of animals that were well taken care of. So, I naturally developed a love for animals and felt very connected to their well-being from a young age. After retiring – I was an HRM advisor at a national organization – I felt (and still feel) too vital to just stay at home. Additionally, I wanted to make a social contribution. With my love for animals, the Animal Ambulance was a logical choice.”‘My cuddly toy’“We are taking a lady and her cat to the vet. At the same time, an elderly lady enters with a shopping trolley, apparently without a pet. ‘I thought the lady was confused and in the wrong place. Until suddenly a bird comes out of her shopping trolley. Very tame. ‘Her little cuddly toy,’ she says.”

Redden“If I have been able to help an animal or have returned it to its owner, it gives a lot of satisfaction. With the joy of both, I can go on for a long time. Important, because there are inevitably situations that end less pleasantly. Still, bringing those to a good conclusion also gives satisfaction.”

Cat or cater?“We had to urgently go to an address where a cat had walked in and according to the caller was about to give birth. We quickly went there, but after some investigation, it turned out to be a male cat. The cat was lost and quite far from home. Luckily, he had a chip and we were able to return him home.”

Thank you Rini, for allowing us to spend an afternoon with you!Photos: Kim Cerrone

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