Annalisa Barrelet and Siwan Howell amongst BEVA Trust Veterinary Volunteers helping to improve Equine Welfare

Rossdales' vets Annalisa Barrelet and Siwan Howell are two of 312 eager BEVA Trust veterinary volunteers who have shown their passion for horse welfare by helping make a difference to the lives of more than 1,500 horses in the UK. This has been achieved through participation in a total of 37 Education and Welfare castration clinics and is in addition to those BEVA members who have volunteered their services for overseas work with the BEVA Trust.

The BEVA Trust provides opportunities, support and funding to allow BEVA members to volunteer for projects that enhance equine welfare both locally and globally.

For the past six years, BEVA Trust and British Horse Society have worked together. Vets, nurses, students, and farriers have so far helped a total of 1,708 horses by volunteering their time and expertise at special clinics around the country. Coordinated by the British Horse Society, and with practical support from a number of other equine welfare charities, these clinics provide dental care, farriery, worming, microchipping and passporting for horses identified to be in need, as well as castration if required. A total of 784 horses have now been castrated.

Annalisa Barrelet said: “It was an amazing experience to be part of the Education and Welfare team at Ashford, Kent last week. It was a really busy day, we had 46 horses attend the clinic with 26 castrations undertaken, mostly standing apart from the minis, which were done under short anaesthetic. The team approach to the way everyone works at these clinics is inspiring, with younger colleagues being nurtured and supported despite the high volume and pressure of the work that needs to be completed on the day. It is the reason so many of us want to keep volunteering.

The clinics have been generously supported by Zoetis, Bransby, Blue Cross, Redwings, World Horse Welfare and the RSPCA.

You can find out more about the BEVA Trust’s work here. If you would like to support the Trust’s work please visit their Just Giving page.

To volunteer for the BEVA Trust please contact Leaya Slater.