JMICAWE team strengthens links with Veterinary schools in Asia

This week sees Heather Bacon and Hayley Walters from the JMICAWE returning to Edinburgh after a successful series of Veterinary welfare education events.

Heather started in Lyon, France, continuing the JMICAWE’s existing relationship with the Federation of Vets of Europe and DG Sanco to deliver regional CPD on welfare assessment for the veterinary practitioner. Then it was on to Vietnam to present a paper on captive wildlife welfare at the Association of Asian Zoo and wildlife Veterinarian’s Annual conference, held at the Animals Asia Foundation’s Vietnam bear rescue centre. Heather was also able to visit the Hanoi National University of Agriculture to advise on development of their animal welfare curriculum and deliver a presentation on international veterinary education to a number of lecturers at the university. The HNUA has a strong existing research team focussing on animal welfare projects and is committed to leading the development of animal welfare science within Vietnam. HNAU will be collaborating with JMICAWE to translate welfare education materials into Vietnamese.

Hayley then joined Heather in Nanjing, China to meet with senior clinical staff from the small animal hospital at Nanjing Agricultural University and to discuss proposed collaborative activities, including student exchanges, and integration of pain management and hospital care skills into the curriculum at NJAU. These proposed activities were also supported by the Dean of Nanjing Agricultural University. Heather and Hayley also delivered interactive seminars on animal behaviour, animal welfare and humane education to approximately 150 students at NJAU.

From Nanjing it was on to Qingdao in Nanjing to present at the 5^th National China Veterinary conference. The University of Edinburgh signed an MOU with the Chinese Veterinary Medical Association in 2013 and has since been cooperating with them to raise awareness of an evidence-based approach to welfare science, humane education, and integration of animal welfare into the curriculum. This year, experts from Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) and the Humane Slaughter Association were able to present at the CVC conference on a range of animal welfare issues thanks to sponsorship by Animals Asia. The CVMA also launched their first national Animal welfare textbook, sponsored by World Animal Protection (see Blog: http://jmicaweactivities.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/introduction-to-animal-welfare-textbook.html)

In addition Heather met with members of the Zoetis International Veterinary Collaboration for China at the International Symposium on Veterinary Education. Presentations were delivered by Deans of key Universities in China, the UK and the USA on international cooperation to support veterinary education.

Commenting on the trip, Heather said ‘It’s been a long trip but very worthwhile – it is incredibly encouraging to see the strength of international partnerships between Western veterinary schools and Asian veterinary schools. The rate of development of animal welfare in the Asian Veterinary Profession is very fast and international collaboration is supporting the development of skilled veterinarians and good animal welfare standards.’

 

Group Photo from the 5th CVC

Heather demonstrating suturing  using suture pads as an alternative to  live animals, at a workshop in Nanjing