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Equine charity sees increase in welfare cases
World Horse Welfare hopes the advert will bring attention to the suffering that horses are experiencing.
World Horse Welfare has released a new advert to raise awareness.

An equine charity has launched a new TV advertisement, which it says will raise awareness of the suffering of hundreds of horses in the UK.

The advert comes as World Horse Welfare reports a 43 per cent increase in welfare enquiries that have needed its attention.

Many of these enquiries have required visits from the charity’s field officers, which investigate whether the horse is well-kept. Cases where the horses have required attention have resulted in four of its Rescue and Rehoming Centres nearing capacity.

World Horse Welfare said that, with much of its work happening out of public view, it is hoping its new advertising campaign will bring attention to the suffering that horses are experiencing, and the work it is doing to save them.

The TV advert, titled ‘How could anyone treat horses like this?’, features Seamus, a Clydesdale horse rescued by the charity who was so malnourished he was like a ‘giant skeleton’. World Horse Welfare ensured that Seamus was rehabilitated, and rehomed in a safer place.

It also explores many of the other cases of equine neglect and abuse which the charity has discovered.

Peter Rowbottom, director of fundraising at World Horse Welfare, said: “We are seeing a dramatic increase in demand for services and our UK support team have already dealt with 938 welfare enquiries this year, compared to 658 at the same point in 2023.  

“We aren’t expecting it to get any better either, as the wet winter weather has been particularly bad for horse owners this year, and our four Rescue and Rehoming Centres have already surpassed our preferred numbers.”

He added: “We hope that the advert will resonate with viewers and help us raise much needed funds to continue our work to improve welfare for all horses.”

The full advert can be viewed here.

Image © World Horse Welfare

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FIVP Practice Matters podcast returns for Series 2

News Story 1
 The Federation of Independent Veterinary Practices (FIVP) has announced that its podcast, FIVP Practice Matters, will be returning for a second series next year.

The bi-weekly podcast will return on Tuesday, 14 January 2025 with an episode on sustainability with Alison Lambert. The second series will include a range of new and familiar guests sharing veterinary initiatives and news from independent practices.

The podcast is available on Spotify and will now also be released on Apple Podcasts. More details about FIVP and the podcast can be found on its website

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A 3km Protection Zone and 10km Surveillance Zone have been implemented at each premises, and all the poultry on each premises will be humanely culled.

A third case has also been identified near Beverley in East Riding of Yorkshire.

APHA is reminding bird keepers to remain vigilant and follow biosecurity measures to prevent more outbreaks. Details on the current disease control zones and biosecurity guidance can be found on the APHA website.