Equine vet appointed welfare chairman

A leading equine veterinary surgeon has been appointed the new chairman of the Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad (SPANA).

Howard Robinson is honorary treasurer of the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) and one of the Jockey Club’s 10 veterinary officers.

After qualifying at Liverpool University, Mr Robinson, served with the Royal Army Veterinary Corps and, in 1973, was posted to Germany where he was responsiblefor dogs and horses.

He left the army in 1976 and now has a largely equine practice in Surrey.

The society was founded nearly 80 years ago to look after the welfare of the working animals – donkeys, horses, mules and camels in mostly, hot, poor countries.

It now has veterinary clinics and mobile teams of veterinary nurses, which visit villages in Morocco, Tunisia, Mali, Jordan, Syria and Mauritania. The society also provides funds for short-term programmes in other countries in Africa, India, South America and the Balkans. During his chairmanship, Howard Robinson, is aiming to raise the profile of SPANA and boost fund-raising in Britain. He also aims to put animal welfare on the political agenda of the countries concerned.

Mr Robinson says he believes it is vital that SPANA helps educatechildren to care for animals and the environment.

For more information visit www.spana.org

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