Tuks vet students bare all for drought aid

Veterinary students from the University of Pretoria’s (UP) Faculty of Veterinary Science are baring all for a calendar that will be sold to raise funds for drought relief.

Speaking to Farmer’s Weekly, Teagan-Leigh Scholtz, a third-year veterinary student and member of the Veterinary Naked Calendar committee, said the initiative was launched 10 years ago when veterinary science students decided to come to the aid of animals in need. Similar nude calendar projects were undertaken by veterinary students across the world, she said.

This year’s theme is ‘Why is water important?’ Funds raised through this initiative will go towards the Droogtehulp met Burre Burger group.

The calendar will feature a water theme for each month of the year. “Our animals and our farmers are important for our country’s precious future and we are trying to help them,” Scholtz explained.

A total of 150 students took part in this year’s calendar project, which included not only male and female students, but also lecturers and veterinary nurses, she said. “Initially, we wanted to sell 400 calendars and raise R45 000, but due to the demand we have produced 800 calendars and hope to raise R80 000 for drought relief. “Water scarcity affects all of us. Even at the Onderstepoort campus we have had water restrictions. And we have students from Bloemfontein and the Western Cape, for example, where water has become a real issue,” said Scholtz.

Although the students depicted on the Veterinary Naked Calendar were from UP, the project was an independent initiative and not associated with the university.

The calendars will be on sale at a cost of R100 each, and wall planners will be sold for R40 each. – Gerhard Uys

• To order or to make donations, email veterinarynakedcalendar@gmail.com.