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Brooke shares year’s success of working-equine advocacy
Brooke says its advocacy work will indirectly help over 32.6 million donkeys.
Over 1.5 million working equines were directly supported between 2023 and 2024.

Brooke is celebrating a successful year of equine advocacy, with its 2023/24 Annual Report claiming a ‘record high’ for its indirect reach.

The charity, which supports working horses and donkeys around the world, says that its advocacy of a ban on the donkey skin trade in Africa will indirectly help over 32.6 million donkeys once implemented.

It has also worked with the World Veterinary Association (WVA) to produce the first global list of essential veterinary medicines for food producing animals, including horses and donkeys. The list, which has been endorsed in Ethiopia, is expected to further extend its presence in 2025.

The charity’s annual report records that it has advocated for six policy achievements affecting working horses and equines in the past year.

Brooke says that its work has also directly supported more than 1.5 million working horses and donkeys. This has included providing veterinary and farriery work, skill training for owners and community-focused work.

Brooke’s skill-training work has seen it provide over 6,000 training sessions and mentor 5,238 animal service providers.

The charity’s training helps it to fulfil its goal of improving horse and donkey welfare worldwide. This has involved teaching owners about safe harnessing and compassionate handling, as well as introducing its Equine Welfare and Owner Behaviour Assessment Tool.

Through its work, the charity has helped almost 3 million people and more than 11,000 communities – 1,300 more communities than the previous year.

As part of its community work, Brooke helps communities to prepare for and build resilience to climate-related emergencies, providing relief for over 46,000 animals affected by drought in East Africa in 2023.

Chris Wainwright, CEO of Brooke, said: “As Brooke marks its 90th anniversary of positive action for working horses, donkeys and mules, I am tremendously proud of what we achieve together as an organisation.  

“We have exceeded our target in all aspects of our work, including the number of working animals we’ve reached, which is no mean feat.

“This is just another step on the path to ensuring every working horse, donkey and mule around the world has a life worth living.”

Image © Brooke

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Antibiotic Amnesty survey opens

News Story 1
 The Responsible Use of Medicines Alliance - Companion Animal and Equine (RUMA - CA&E) has launched a survey which seeks to measure the success of this year's Antibiotic Amnesty campaign.

Its results will help the group to calculate how many unused or out-of-date antibiotics were returned as part of the campaign throughout November. Practices are also asked how they engaged with clients to raise awareness of the issue.

Participating practices can enter a prize draw to win up to 100 in vouchers for taking part. Further prizes from BSAVA and Webinar Vet will be available for practices with the best input.

The survey takes a few minutes to complete and will be running throughout December. It can be accessed via this link

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Avian flu confirmed at premises in Cornwall

A case of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 has been detected in commercial poultry at a premises near Rosudgeon, Cornwall.

All poultry on the infected site will be humanely culled, and a 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone have been put in place. Poultry and other captive birds in the 3km protection zone must be housed.

The case is the second avian flu case confirmed in commercial poultry this month. The H5N5 strain was detected in a premises near Hornsea, East Riding of Yorkshire, in early November. Before then, the disease had not been confirmed in captive birds in England since February.

The UK chief veterinary officer has urged bird keepers to remain alert and practise robust biosecurity.

A map of the disease control zones can be found here.