Chinese Veterinary Medicine Association Conference - Professor Nat Waran

Equine Welfare on the Agenda at the Chinese Veterinary Medicine Association Conference in Nanjing

Prof Nat Waran delivering talks on equine welfare

Promotion of an understanding of the importance of providing a Good Quality of Life for equids in China was high on the agenda for former JMICAWE Director, Professor Nat Waran who was an invited speaker at the recent Chinese Veterinary Medicine Association’s annual conference in Nanjing. The conference attracted a significant audience of Chinese equine veterinarians who were provided with information about practically assessing and managing equine welfare. 

Prof Nat along with Chris Riggs, the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Head of Veterinary services in mainland China, and Roly Owers, CEO for the World Horse Welfare – noted that this was the first time invited equine welfare talks were integrated within the equine veterinary medicine session - a positive advance for mainstreaming animal welfare.

The Group housing facility for teaching horses at NAU.

Whilst there the group of equine welfare experts were asked to visit and comment on the proposed new equine teaching facility for veterinary students training at the Nanjing Agricultural University.
It was interesting and heartening to see the group housing facility that had been built where horses have free access to different outdoor and sheltered areas, with many behavioural opportunities. Having previously provided animal welfare professional development workshops with the NAU veterinary staff, it was good to see the JMICAWE work having a real impact on the way in which teaching animals are being managed.

Veterinary Care for Working Equids: A Talk by Polly Compston

The Jeanne Marchig International Centre for Animal Welfare Education is excited to announce that the Senior Veterinary Adviser at The Brooke, Polly Compston, has agreed to speak at the New Dick Vet School as a part of the special lecture series it runs each year. 

 

 

Polly will be coming to Easter Bush Campus from The Brooke to give a talk on working horses, donkeys and mules in low-income countries on Friday, June 5th.
                                   
Polly graduated from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies in 2007 and started her career in mixed general practice. After a period of time working as a veterinary volunteer overseas she completed a residency in Clinical Research at Rossdales Equine Hospital in Newmarket alongside an MSc from the RVC in Veterinary Epidemiology and Public Health.  She moved to The Brooke, an international animal welfare NGO in November 2013, where she is currently the Senior Veterinary Adviser.

The Brooke is an international organisation that works globally dedicated to improving the lives of working horses, donkeys and mules, and their owners, in some of the world's poorest communities. You can find out more about it here: http://www.thebrooke.org/         

 

There are three main ways in which they work: by strengthening service provision systems; through engagement with communities to identify and solve their animal health and welfare problems; and advocacy at national and international levels. This talk will give an overview of the problems that working equids face and how organisations like The Brooke can have an impact on their health and welfare.

We are really excited that Polly has agreed to come and present this talk to us – we have no doubt that it will be very informative and not to be missed! We look forward to welcoming her on June 5th and keep an eye on our blog for a post about the talk!