Remembering the Importance of Vets on World Animal Day
AUSTRALIA - This World Animal Day, the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) is celebrating the vital contribution of veterinarians to high standards of biosecurity and to animal health and welfare in the nation’s livestock industries.
3 October 2014
2 minute read
By: AVA vice president Dr David Neck said that veterinarians are of enormous assistance to Australia’s farmers and livestock.
“Vets help ensure food is safe to eat, help farmers increase production, enhance the health and welfare of animals and detect and respond to outbreaks of emergency animal diseases.
“Veterinarians are at the forefront of detection and response to common diseases and also exotic animal diseases, including foot-and-mouth disease and diseases that cross between animals and humans such as the Hendra virus,” he said.
“Veterinarians also provide services, advice and support to farmers that enhance animal welfare. They help with disease prevention, animal management and production systems.”
World Animal Day, 4 October, started in 1931 to highlight the plight of endangered species. Since then our relationships with animals have grown stronger with better understanding of their health and welfare and the enormous value they bring to our lives.
October 4 is significant in the Christian calendar as the feast of St Francis, the patron saint of animals.
“Whether they’re our pets, farm animals or animals providing a source of wonder in the wild, animals are a vital and valuable part of the human experience, which is why we are so proud to highlight the role veterinarians play in animals’ lives,” Dr Neck said.
