Your data on MRCVSonline
The nature of the services provided by Vision Media means that we might obtain certain information about you.
Please read our Data Protection and Privacy Policy for details.

In addition, (with your consent) some parts of our website may store a 'cookie' in your browser for the purposes of
functionality or performance monitoring.
Click here to manage your settings.
If you would like to forward this story on to a friend, simply fill in the form below and click send.

Your friend's email:
Your email:
Your name:
 
 
Send Cancel

FOUR PAWS prepares for new elephant sanctuary
Chinese artist Al Weiwei with
FOUR PAWS vet Dr Amir Khalil.

Elephant’s Lake will house captive and wild animals

International animal charity FOUR PAWS is preparing for the construction of one of the largest elephant sanctuaries in South-East Asia.

The charity said the building of the Elephant’s Lake sanctuary ‘is an important way to ensure these elephants are not simply killed or used as tourist attractions’.

Based in the Bago Region, the 17,000-acre sanctuary will see vets and experts rehabilitate former logging elephants as well as injured or orphaned wild elephants and prepare them for a life of freedom. The first inhabitants are expected to move in before the end of the year.

Last week, Chinese artist Al Weiwei visited the country to witness the plight of elephants first hand. It was a sad sight, with many elephants chained up and unable to live under natural conditions.

“I am so sad to see that. Elephants are quite similar to human beings, they are intelligent and emotional creatures,” he said. “Unfortunately, elephants have been placed in these conditions by humans. This is not right and not fair.

“Elephants deserve to live in freedom, but they have always been mistreated. If I could I would wish to release them immediately. They are born to be free and not captive like this. Let the elephants be free!”

The majority of working elephants in Myanmar belong to state-owned enterprises, the rest are privately owned. The animals have been abused in the Myanmar Timber Enterprise for decades, but the ban on the export of raw timer has rendered more than 1,000 elephants redundant.

The elephants are now considered useless by their owners and an increasing finial burden. The animals are therefore abandoned, killed or smuggled to neighbouring countries for tourism purposes.

“Working elephants live in terrible conditions,” reports FOUR PAWS vet Dr Amir Khalil, who accompanied Ai Weiwei during his trip. “They have been deprived of their natural habitat and are forced to vegetate chained in elephant camps. We share the common values that if humans have rights elephants also have rights. Most of these elephants could be rehabilitated and reintroduced into the wild.”

Image (C) FOUR PAWS

Become a member or log in to add this story to your CPD history

Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.