29 Sept 2020
Charity will use World Animal Day to highlight its work to improve access to veterinary care for thousands of working horses and donkeys around the world.
James Westgate
Job Title
The Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad (SPANA) will use World Animal Day (4 October) to highlight the lack of veterinary care for equids in developing countries.
Unlike in the UK and other higher-income nations, a severe shortage of veterinary services in many developing countries means vast numbers of animals – including working animals – do not get the care they need.
In Zimbabwe – one of the many locations in which the charity works – 340 vets serve the entire country.
Tanzania, which has a population of more than 56 million people, has around 725 vets, and Mauritania – the 28th largest country in the world in size – has 127 working vets. In comparison, the UK has more than 20,000 vets treating the country’s pets and animals.
SPANA is tackling this inequality and reaching animals in urgent need wherever it can. Last year, the society provided free veterinary treatments to more than 388,000 working animals – including donkeys, horses, mules, camels and elephants – in some of the world’s poorest communities.
Through a network of veterinary centres and mobile clinics in more than 25 countries, SPANA is treating sick and injured animals that would otherwise have no veterinary assistance available to them.
SPANA chief executive Geoffrey Dennis said: “The sad reality is that, in many developing countries, there simply aren’t enough vets to treat the vast numbers of animals that need assistance.
“Working animals are some of the most neglected – they perform vital roles in the poorest communities, but their welfare is often very poor and there is usually no veterinary care available to help them.”
Mr Dennis went on to quote the fact that 99% of the world’s equine vets treat less than 10% of equids.
He added: “I am proud of the difference we make to the lives of thousands of working animals around the world and with everyone’s support we give even more animals access to the lifesaving veterinary care they need.”
Celebrity vet James Greenwood said: “There’s a huge need for the free veterinary care that SPANA provides.
“This World Animal Day, I’m sending my thanks to their fantastic vet staff, who are making a huge difference to working animals and the people who depend on them. ”
