Around a billion of the world’s poor rely on animals for subsistence, transport and to generate an income. But many cannot afford veterinary care. So, last year, the Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad (SPANA) provided over 360,000 free veterinary treatments to horses, donkeys, mules, camels and other working animals.
‘As a vet, I’m trained to care for animals, but my personal motivation lies in the concept that helping animals helps people,’ says SPANA veterinary programme adviser Laura Higham. ‘A family in sub-Saharan Africa may rely on a horse or donkey to get their goods to market, and as a means of ploughing fields. I’m passionate about supporting this crucial relationship in places where veterinary assistance is non-existent.’
