India: Goa
John Hicks - Chairman
Although officially retired, John Hicks continues to oversee the running of the centre. He and wife Jo have also set up a monkey rescue and rehabilitation project at their home, The Tree House.
Astrid Almeida - Veterinary Director
Astrid was the first vet employed at the centre when it was set up in 1998. We consider ourselves fortunate to have her as our Veterinary Director, not only because she is a brilliant and talented vet, but because of her commitment to animal welfare. She has earned the respect of her colleagues throughout India and has even received a special Gold Medal award from the Indian Veterinary Council. Thanks to Astrid and the team, the centre is now recognised as one of the best in India. Astrid is in overall charge at the centre, but on a day to day basis she manages the veterinary team, treats and operates on animals at the clinic and oversees stock control of drugs and medicines.
Yogeeta Sawant - Director of Administration
Yogeeta joined the team in 2002 and has set up and implemented all the centre's administrative procedures. She is also Personal Assistant to John Hicks, Chairman of International Animal Rescue in Goa. It is thanks to Yogeeta's attention to detail that the centre runs so smoothly. She is always the first port of call when anything goes wrong and her calm clear decision-making is admired by everyone. No matter what the difficulty, Yogeeta is sure to find a diplomatic solution to the most delicate problems.
Nikhil Prabhugaonkar - Veterinary Doctor
Nikhil joined us in 2005 and is one of India's top veterinary surgeons. He regards Astrid as one of the best vets he has ever met whilst remaining totally modest about his own considerable talents. He performs all kinds of surgery from basic sterilisations to complex orthopaedic and eye and ear surgery. He is also skilled in the handling and treatment of wildlife. In addition to Astrid and Nikhil we have four other full-time vets who all bring their own particular talents to the team.
Vasudev Mahale - Office Manager
Vasudev joined us in 2004 as an office assistant but his natural ability meant he soon progressed to become Office Manager. He is in charge of managing the front office and has two assistants on his team. Vasudev has an amazing eye for detail and ensures that the office record-keeping is flawless and that the running of the front office is professional and efficient at all times, even though it is often extremely hectic with numerous visitors coming and going and others bringing in animals for treatment.
Balkrishna Sawant - Kennel Manager
Balkrishna is responsible for ensuring that the care and conditions in the kennels meet the centre's high standards at all times. He supervises a team of nine kennel staff who cover all areas of activity from catching and releasing animals, feeding them and cleaning their kennels, to repair and maintenance work. Krishna joined the kennel team in 2003 and quickly excelled at handling even the most difficult dogs. He soon learnt that one of the most important aspects of dog handling is learning how to talk to the dogs to give them reassurance. Whenever he is in the kennels he can be heard chatting away to the dogs and spends time with those that are terrified by the strange environment. His quiet caring nature is appreciated by all who know him.
Netra Bahadur Gurung - Head Veterinary Nurse
Myla, as he is known, joined the team in 2000 as a member of the kennel staff. However his ability to care for sick and injured animals was soon recognised and he was moved to the veterinary team where he provides strong support for the vets both in the clinic and in the field. He knows a great deal about administering anaesthetics and medicines. Both Astrid and Nikhil now regard him as highly as any vet. Myla is always looking to expand his knowledge and whenever he faces a new case he learns all about it in case he should come across it again in the future.
