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Loop Abroad

Why choose Loop Abroad?

Loop Abroad has been offering exciting animal and teaching programs abroad since 2009. We offer summer and semester programs for people who love animals, travel, adventure, and authentic experiences. With programs in Asia, Africa, Australia and Ecuador, Loop Abroad continues to offer incredible opportunities for students to get hands-on experience with greatly respected organizations, and earn college credit through a university partner while doing so!

Reviews

Default avatar
Taylor
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Thailand College Vet Service

The elephant nature park is unreal! It is by far the most magical place an animal lover can experience. Any time you sit anywhere there is always a four-legged companion at your side. I have never seen such happy animals, they are all in a constant state of play. Seeing elephants being elephants never gets old. They are spectacular animals with so much personality! Getting the opportunity to observe them in a setting where they can be themselves and be loved is indescribably beautiful.

The dog rescue clinic gave me so much confidence in my small animal clinic skills. They give you a non-judgemental space to practice vet skills and ask questions that can be very difficult to find in a hospital setting at home. The city days pass by so fast because you get to do so much every day!

The loop abroad team is there for you anytime. This team puts in so much effort and it shows - the program is really one of a kind! The guides and course instructors are some of the most compassionate people I have ever met. Most people you come across at the elephant nature park and dog rescue clinic are so courageous, wholesome, and humble. The people I got to work with changed my life for the better because they genuinely value each of their students as an individual.

Pros
  • THE MOST AMAZING STAFF - the best people you will ever meet
  • Elephants, dogs, cats, geckos
  • You get to do so much in two weeks that would take months to learn in a hospital
Cons
  • Elephant activities on the felid may be hard if you have any trouble running
  • There are plenty of vegan/vegetarian options once you are in the program but the plane might not
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Jenna
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Fun and Educational

It was very interesting to learn about elephants and how they are treated! The history was about some of the elephants was heartbreaking but essential information to help conserve the elephants and make educated actions. Learning about companion animals was also interesting and is useful for the future! At the dog rescue clinic we were able to be very hands on which I would not have been able to do at my local clinic. Being close to the elephants and meeting new people in a fun environment made this trip memorable.

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Liliana
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Thailand two week trip

Two weeks go by fast, especially when engaged in multiple activities; from scooping elephant poop, to observing their behavior, assist neutering dogs, cats and visiting the city of Chiangmai. Its amazing to do all these activities in a different country as you have the opportunity to experience other people's culture and day to day life. For me all the trip has been a memorable experience as every day was different and unique. I would highly recommend anyone interested in gaining animal experience to attend this trip.

Pros
  • Hands on experience
  • Culture engagement
Cons
  • Bugs
  • No other activities if a student can't participate
Default avatar
Renee
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Elephant Experience

Even the boring work is fun when you’re in a new country with new people. This trip just made me want to do so much more travel and I retained more information than I would in a classroom setting. The living environment can be rough but it was at no surprise and it just gave the experience a little more excitement. The amount of one on one time you get with the doctors also allows for so much learning opportunity. Overall this trip was definitely memorable and I would recommend it to anyone looking for animal science experience.

Pros
  • Clinical techniques
  • Textbook animal science knowledge
Cons
  • Lower quality living environment
Default avatar
Ashley
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

My Trip in Australia!

I had the BEST time ever during my trip abroad in Australia. I have been waiting to go on this trip since 2020 so finally making it was the best feeling ever. I was able to learn so many useful lessons and practices during my time there that I was able to bring home and apply at my job in an animal hospital. I also enjoyed learning so much about the Australian wildlife and how to properly handle and care for them. I can’t wait to go back! I highly recommend taking this trip, it was the most amazing experience ever!

Pros
  • The amount of animal handling
  • My amazing group of people
  • Exploring Sydney

Programs

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Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Why did you choose this program?

The Loop Abroad trip to Thailand was first brought to my attention during a meeting for my university's pre-veterinary medicine club. I was initially impressed because of the relatively low cost of the program, considering how much hands-on experience was included in the trip. I also wanted to go to experience the country's culture - I had been thinking of visiting Thailand far prior to learning about the trip and was excited to experience the country's culture. Finally, I knew this veterinary and cultural experience would be a fantastic addition to my applications to veterinary or graduate school in the future.

What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

Loop Abroad was incredibly thorough in helping us through the application and trip preparation processes. This was especially true due to the fact that I signed up in a private group created by a fellow pre-vet club member who had gone on the trip the year prior. The main things we had to do were filled out a form (for safety/medical information, passport information, and other necessary paperwork), pay, and pack; Loop Abroad helped a great deal with the trip's financial aid and other logistics.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

Even if this is your first time studying abroad, or your first time ever being out of the country, it's okay - you will be safe and enjoy yourself.

Loop Abroad is wonderful at answering questions - you just have to ask. As for the trip itself: make sure to bring more clothes than you think you need, especially for the time you spend at Elephant Nature Park. Since it's very hot and humid, you'll want to change clothes much more than you would at home, and you want enough clothes to last you through the whole week (and longer). Additionally, conditions at Elephant Nature Park are more "outdoorsy" (i.e. you will sleep in cabins without air conditioning and be working outside all day), so bring clothes for that week that you aren't afraid to get dirty.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

This is dependent on the week. During one of the weeks, participants are staying at Elephant Nature Park outside of Chiang Mai. During the day, you and those in your Loop group will be doing various veterinary activities with the elephants, dogs, cats, and horses in the park. These include a diet study, a fecal/urine analysis, time spent at the park's cat and dog clinics, and rounds alongside an elephant veterinary professional. Meals will be eaten with the other Loop participants and those staying at the park. There will also be an activity every night, most relating to local Thai culture.

During the other week, participants will be staying at a hotel in Chiang Mai. During the day every day, participants will learn about veterinary medicine at a rescue clinic, and in the afternoon/evening, participants will do an activity (related to Thai culture) in Chiang Mai.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

I was nervous to be abroad alone, as this trip was my first experience leaving North America. I was mainly nervous that I would be unable to communicate with my parents and other loved ones if something bad were to happen. Thankfully, I was able to contact my parents every day of the trip. I didn't need a SIM card, like many places we went to had WiFi access.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Another question I had prior to this trip was whether any prior animal science knowledge was needed to fully participate in the trip's activities. My (relatively short) microbiology experience has not given me prior animal science knowledge, and I worried I would be unable to completely understand what we learned in the clinics and at ENP. However, this concern was for nothing - the veterinarians who traveled with us did a great job of filling us in and explaining what was going on (and why).