World Vet Education Conference places animal welfare on the curricula

London/Lyon 19 May 2011: Last week saw luminaries from the veterinary world gather in Lyon, France, to celebrate Vet Year 2011 on the 250th anniversary of the establishment of the profession in the same city, as well as to debate education in the sector worldwide. (1)

The event, attended by WSPA International, (2) was a tremendous success in terms of attendance, but also for its recommendations; principally, the inclusion of animal welfare in basic competencies that graduating vets should achieve, regardless of location and training facility.

“Vets can have a direct impact on the attitudes and behaviours of the general public towards animals, as advisers to owners, as well as to governments and corporations ,” said Ruth De Vere, Head of Education at WSPA International. “After this conference, where the world’s veterinary elite came together globally for only the second time, I am hopeful that animal welfare will become an integral part of veterinary training.”

More than 250 participants from veterinary faculties across the world, as well as other relevant stakeholders including NGOs, student bodies and pharmaceutical and industry representatives, gathered in Lyon for the two-day event. For WSPA, the most important move was that the committee set up to co-ordinate recommendations for basic standards for all graduating vets, had decided to include animal welfare as an element ‘fundamental to the entire curriculum’, for the first time. The committee is part of the World Animal Health Organisation (OIE) which represents government vets worldwide. The recommendations have to be adopted by the General Assembly of the OIE before being put into practice.

As WSPA is cautioning, however, the adoption of these recommendations, and the likely domino effect of animal welfare language being included on the vet curriculum, will need some oversight; faculties all over the world will need assistance in the practical implementation of these recommendations. However, the fact that the OIE endorsed WSPA’s Concepts in Animal Welfare (CAW) teaching resource in 2006 indicates that we are well placed to ensure that animal welfare education provision is delivered at a high standard.

Important delegates were in agreement on the importance of animal welfare. Dr Monique Elliot, the OIE’s Deputy Director General said: “Veterinary Education is not adapted to today’s challenges….It must evolve to satisfy the expectations of society with regard to animal and human health, and take account of animal welfare.”

President of the World Veterinary Association Tjeerd Jorna said: “The position of vets isn’t something we can simply claim…but something that must be earned, justified by the way vets contribute to the health and welfare of animals and people.”

The fact that animal welfare is still absent from vet education, especially in developing nations, was highlighted by Dr. Daniel Ventura, President of the Philippine Veterinary Medical Association and the Philippine Association of Veterinary Medicine and Schools. However, this particular nation is integrating the concept into its curricula, using tools such as CAW.

Another important point raised at the conference was of the need for a global body representing vet educators, as government vets and vet professionals have such a platform already.