Listen: Why vet students stripped naked for calendar

Anna Shroeder, Hannah Burrows, Georgie Martin, Stephanie Hpa, and Aimee Alexander. Photography / Paige Alexander

Third-year vet students from Massey University have stripped off in the 13th annual Barely There nude calendar to help raise funds for Retired Working Dogs New Zealand, and the students' 'Half Way Day' celebration.

Half Way Day is a tradition that goes back many years at Massey, marking the mid-point of the students' five year veterinary degree. It aims to help the students unwind from their study, and spend time together as a class, outside of the lecture room.

However, 10 per cent of the calendar proceeds also goes towards Retired Working Dogs, a charity that helps to rehome former work dogs to their forever home.

Jonathan Cheung (left), Alex Walker, Mitch Lowe, Shenade Benson, Nicola Simmons, Jarrin Kistanna, Nial Bell, Vinnie Ferigo, and Lewis MacKinnon. Photo / James Vincent

Massey vet student and spokesperson for the calendar, Aimee Alexander talked to The Country's Jamie Mackay about the cheeky calendar, saying the process was nerve-wracking but worth it.

"We're all friends who are all respectful of the fact that people still want to kind of hide so we were strategic about people getting back to their clothes in groups."

Kaylee Willoughby (left), Angelica Aberia, Ritchie Tomson, Carrie Fynn, and Ella King. Photo / James Carroll

It was a unanimous decision to support Retired Working Dogs NZ, which is a relatively new charity says Alexander.

"They are doing really good work with dogs that can no longer work on farms but they still have lots of life in them. It's just finding them a forever home where they can sit on the couch for the rest of their life if they wish."

The students are hoping to sell more calendars than last year, with a larger class.

Calendars can be purchased for $15 from the website www.vetcalendar.co.nz, shipping both domestically and internationally.

Pre-orders have opened, with the official release of the calendar on March 28th.

Find out more about Retired Working Dogs NZ here.

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