West Arnhem Land Dog Health Program 2025

The West Arnhem Land Dog Health Program (WALDHeP) is an initiative of the Melbourne University Veterinary School that began in 2005 to provide veterinary services to the remote communities in West and East Arnhem Land.

The program provides surgical desexing and parasite management to companion animals, as well as general veterinary care throughout the communities. These health benefits are seen in both animals and humans through the reduction of transmissible zoonotic diseases such as scabies and parasite burdens while also decreasing aggression in animals.

Throughout the year, final year veterinary students (DVM), alongside a team of dedicated veterinarians travel on a number of trips to these remote communities. Community members are then consulted with to determine which animals are in need of treatment.

Due to the remote locations of the communities, veterinary care is often inaccessible, however through programs such as WALDHeP the level of veterinary care and animal welfare has greatly improved in the last 10 years.

The money raised will go towards veterinary equipment and consumables used to treat the animals, such as surgical material, medications, microchips, vaccines, parasite prophylaxis and bandages.