World Association for Transport Animal Welfare and Studies
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TAWS Newsletter October 2003

Contents 2003

Introduction Projects and funding Travel Scholarships Annual Seminar  
Future Activities Other comments Abbreviations  Contact information

Click here for Newsletter 2002

Click here for Newsletter 2001

Introduction

In 2002 and 2003 the Association continued towards its objective of improving the management, health and welfare of draught and pack animals in the developing nations, through projects in Central America and Africa in partnership with governments, universities and other United Kingdom (UK) based charities. In particular, in both 2002 and 2003 we provided expert tuition for veterinary surgeons of El Salvador for the diagnosis and treatment of infectious disease, nutrition, control of endo- and ecto-parasites and dentistry for equines. In the Sudan we provided farriery courses in 2002, for technicians with further courses planned for 2003 and 2004.

Projects and funding

Funds have been allocated to TAWS by other based charities and the RCVS Trust Fund.  As may be appreciated in Table No.1.

Table No. 1.  Project Funding  

Institution     Use of Funds 

£ (Sterling)  

ILPH Equine Parasitology Study El Salvador  2000.00  
ILPH  Expenses for Experts to provide Training (Infectious Disease) El Salvador  2000.00
SPANA Translation into Spanish of a Guide for Animal Care Mexico 2003.  Distribution to veterinary students Mexico & Central America  19500.00  
SPANA Farriery Training 2002 & 2003 - Sudan 14000.00 
RCVS Equine Parasitology Study El Salvador. 2003 1770.00
RCVS Equine Dentistry El Salvador 2003

1100.00  

C Boyde  Equine Dentistry Equipment

2500.00

Mr & Mrs Stamp BVA/TAWS students travel Overseas Scholarship    1000.00
F O’Neill TAWS Scholarship 100.00

TOTAL

43970.00  

The specialist knowledge of TAWS veterinary surgeons has also helped to promote more efficient means to achieve technology transfer from experts from UK based charities to beneficiaries of their projects. TAWS participated in the Brooke Hospital and University of Bristol study, which aims to formulate a practical and credible welfare protocol. This would be very useful when applied before, during and after a project to monitor the impact of interventions on working equine’s health and welfare. Within this framework it is clear that greater attention must be given to project planning and evaluation. TAWS participated in the Brooke Hospital and University of Bristol study. This aims to formulate a practical and credible welfare assessment protocol for monitoring the impact of interventions on working equine’s health and welfare.

It was with considerable regret that the Board of TAWS decided in May 2003 to reduce active participation in the project. This decision was partially based upon the increasing difficulty of funding as well as the shortage of young graduates able to participate in the activities of the charity.

An evaluation of the results of the El Salvador project (Veterinary Component) between 1998 and 2003 is available on the TAWS Website http:www.taws.org.  This document describes the success in improving the knowledge of Salvadoran Veterinary Surgeons in equine management, medicine and surgery.

All other activities including the annual newsletter are published on our website.

Travel Scholarships

Mr & Mrs Mike Stamp have very kindly continued to support the BVA/TAWS Overseas Travel Grants  (click here for further information) and we are similarly grateful to Frank O’Neill who provided funds for a Cambridge undergraduate to visit Indonesia.

Table No. 2.  Scholarship Programme  

Year Name 

University

Project/Study
2002 Rebecca Cannon
John Perrott 

Bristol 

Welfare Assessment in Working Horses - Egypt. (Brooke Hospital)  

2003 Andrew Wallace

Liverpool 

Evaluation of the efficacy of anthelmintic treatment in working donkeys in Morocco (SPANA) Click for report  

2003 Claire Fairclout  

Cambridge

Natural Regeneration of Rain Forests Indonesia: Working animals

Annual Seminar
A successful workshop was held on the 24th April 2003 at the Silsoe Research Institute, UK. The topic “The challenge of improving transport animal welfare in the world: ways forward” attracted 40 delegates and stimulated some lively discussion.  The proceeding will be found on our website http://www.taws.org and they will be published in hard copy.  It is clear that much work is required to promulgate effective welfare legislation in the developing nations and to design new methodologies for sustainable animal welfare interventions. It was most disappointing to hear that in 2003 there are few permanent veterinary posts in developing nations for UK veterinary graduates. Visits of TAWS experts to developing nations where the charity has projects clearly underlines the continuing

i)    reduction of budgets to operate efficiently official veterinary resources.  

ii)   failure to train veterinary specialists in those countries.

With these restraints official veterinary personnel in the developing nations can have little idea of livestock disease in their countries.  Hopefully the International Technical Assistance Agencies will identify means to improve this situation and hence reduce the risk of transmission of disease.  

Other comments

2002 and 2003 have been successful years for TAWS and this report records the results of our efforts.  However they have also been increasingly difficult years.  It may reflect the climate in which our profession finds itself at present.  One of our major problems is that of finding young veterinary graduates to support the Association.  It is disappointing that membership has declined.  Within this context TAWS urgently requires a new voluntary veterinary secretary to help in meetings, project development and fund raising.  The Board of TAWS wishes to thank Betty for her continued support and assistance in the administration of the charity.

 Future Activities

10th November 2003           Winter Meeting including AGM, The Crown Chertsey (Click for details)

5th April 2004                 Annual Seminar, Silsoe Research Institute. (Click for details)

Clive B Woodham, Secretary.  

Abbreviations  
TAWS      World Association for Transport Animal Welfare and Studies, Hardwick Court Farm, Chertsey
ILPH         International League for the Protection of Horses, Snetterton, Norfolk
IMAG        Ministerio de Agricultua and Ganaderia, El Salvador
SPANA    Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad, London
BVA        British Veterinary Association, London
RCVS       Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons

Click here for Newsletter 2002 Click here for Newsletter 2001

Contact Information

Postal address:   World Association for Transport Animal Welfare and Studies
Hardwick Court Farm, Hardwick Lane 
Chertsey, Surrey, KT16 0AD, United Kingdom
Telephone and Fax:  01932 564366 (+ 44 1932 564366)
Electronic mail: info@taws.org;
 

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