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SPANA celebrates 100 years of helping animals
Kate Hosali founded the charity with her daughter after seeing the poor condition of donkeys and other working animals in North Africa.

Kate and Nina Hosali founded the charity in 1923.

The animal-welfare charity SPANA is today (2 October) celebrating 100 years since it was founded to help working animals abroad.

British mother and daughter Kate and Nina Hosali were inspired to found the charity in the early 1920s, after travelling as tourists through North Africa. Although they enjoyed the sites of the rural farms and the busy markets, they were shocked by the poor condition of the donkeys and other working animals.

The animals were often malnourished, made to carry excessive loads, and had no access to professional veterinary care.

On their return to the UK, Kate and Nina founded the Society for the Protection of Animals in North Africa on 2 October 1923. Kate returned to North Africa, treating wounded animals and educating owners about animal welfare. Nina stayed in London to co-ordinate the charity’s activities.

During the 1980s and 1990s the charity expanded out of North Africa to cover more countries around the world, becoming the Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad, although still maintaining the name SPANA.

SPANA is currently working in 23 countries to treat working animals and educate people about animal weflare, last year providing care to 306,412 animals. Recently, it has helped hundreds of animals injured by the earthquake which struck Morocco on 8 September.

Linda Edwards, chief executive of SPANA, said: “The world has changed so much since Kate and Nina began the work that we continue to this day. But what hasn’t changed is our determination to build a better future for working animals.
 
“The need for SPANA’s work is greater today than ever. The welfare of working animals is under severe threat from major global challenges such as climate change, increased political and economic instability, and rising global poverty.
 
“As we celebrate 100 years of SPANA’s critical work, we are looking to the future and are focused on delivering a true and lasting transformation to the lives of working animals across the world.”

 

Image (C) SPANA

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Reporting service for dead wild birds updated

News Story 1
 The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has updated its online reporting service for dead wild birds.

The new version allows those reporting a dead bird to drop a pin on a map when reporting the location. It also includes a wider range of wild bird species groups to select from when describing the bird.

The online service, which helps APHA to monitor the spread of diseases such as avian influenza, can be accessed here. 

Click here for more...
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NI chief vet urges bluetongue vigilance

Northern Ireland's chief veterinary officer (CVO) has urged farmers to be vigilant for signs of bluetongue, after the Animal and Plant Health Agency warned there was a very high probability of further cases in Great Britain.

There have been 126 confirmed cases of bluetongue virus serotype 3 in England since November 2023, with no cases reported in Northern Ireland. The movement of live ruminants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland is currently suspended.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the virus is most likely to enter Northern Ireland through infected animals or germplasm (semen or ova) being imported.

Brian Dooher, Northern Ireland's CVO, said: "Surveillance for this disease within Northern Ireland has been increased to assist with detection at the earliest opportunity which will facilitate more effective control measures."

Farmers should report any suspicions of the disease to their private veterinary practitioner, the DAERA Helpline on 0300 200 7840 or their local DAERA Direct Veterinary Office.