6 Jan 2022
Colin Willson, BVA Welsh branch president, said there is “a huge amount to be welcomed, and we’re delighted to see vets positioned at the centre of delivering these key actions”.
Joshua Silverwood
Job Title
Cows in Wales, near Snowdonia. Image: countrylens / fotolia.
The BVA has welcomed the Welsh Government’s one health approach to the new Animal Health and Welfare Implementation Plan.
Launched this week by rural affairs minister Lesley Griffiths, the plan sets out the Welsh Government’s priorities for the next few years within the 10-year long Wales Animal Health and Welfare Framework.
The plan is aimed at addressing the concepts of one health, one welfare and biosecurity, recognising the interdependence of animals, humans and the environment, and the importance of veterinary surveillance.
BVA Welsh branch president Collin Willson said: “There is a huge amount to be welcomed in this comprehensive plan, and we’re delighted to see vets positioned at the centre of delivering these key actions to improve animal health and welfare across Wales.
“We’re particularly pleased to see the plan framed under a one health approach, which recognises the interdependence of animals, humans, and the environment.
“As vets, we’re keen to work alongside our colleagues in other disciplines to tackle some of the greatest challenges we face as a society, from antimicrobial resistance to climate change.”
The plan also contains a greater commitment to prioritising the surveillance of diseases among animals, plans to create a national model for animal regulation and CCTV monitoring in slaughterhouses.
Dr Willson added: “This is an ambitious plan, and it’s essential that there is a commitment to adequate funding and legislation to underpin the actions and make sure they are deliverable.
“Animal disease does not respect borders and so collaborating and coordinating across the UK will also be important, while harnessing the opportunity to promote and enhance ‘Brand Wales’ as a leader in animal health and welfare.”
