Safer Horse Rescues

Safer Horse Rescues - Support Us

Equine Rescue Fund

The Equine Rescue Fund aims to improve animal welfare at rescues and ensure the best outcome for everyone. Safer Horse Rescues has achieved an immense amount since its launch, but there is still much more to be done to ensure that whenever a horse is in peril, and wherever in the UK it is, the care that they receives is the same and prevents suffering.

Making a difference

The launch of the Equine Rescue Fund in 2007 was enthusastically supported by the equine industry and their generosity enabled us to achieve much more than we ever dared hope. Here are just a few of the things we have been able to fund:

Awareness-raising materials, such as our horsebox safety campaign, and the Safer Horse Rescues DVD.
Safety helmets and dry suits for vets attending BEVA's Rescue and Emergency Medicine Training courses.
A life-sized horse manikin to train vets and fire crews in manual handling techniques. The cost of 'Howie' was generously covered in full by Genitrix Animal Health.
Practical rescue days for final year equine elective students at many of the UK's vet schools.
Local liaison meetings between fire and rescue services and their local vets to enable them to start building relationships and sharing their experiences and expertise.
Expertise and veterinary input to the Animal Rescue Practitioners Forum to assist in the development of national standards for animal rescue training and techniques.
Supporting vets with costs on the rare occasions where the owner can not be traced, in order to to guarantee that no time is lost in the treatment, or euthanasia, of an injured horse whilst attempts are made to locate the owner.

Through this work, and the ongoing support of everyone involved, outcomes have greatly improved for horses and people involved in these rescues. There is an ever growing number of emergency rescue trained vets, who are working increasingly closely with the Fire Service and other stakeholders in regions across the country and the demand for more information, training and equipment is strong, as there is a real benefit to all involved.

There is still much more to be done...

Since we have carried out all of this valuable and constructive work, we are in a position where we need to do some further fundraising to keep up the momentum of the initiative and to fund interesting work we have coming up:

Re-launching of the current Register of Equine Veterinary Practices to provide greater coverage across the UK and to include large animal practices, making the Directory a ‘one stop shop’ for all emergency responder control rooms
Extension of the provision of Veterinary training courses to maximise numbers of emergency medicine trained vets. This would include production of training materials, including a Manual of Large Animal Rescue and Trauma Care, to support the UK training initiative
Further awareness raising in the horse world to ensure prevention of incidents and to ensure the protocol is more widely known
Setting up a volunteer network of veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and technicians for the provision of an Advanced Veterinary Care Network to provide hospital-level care at incidents, mirroring the charitably funded immediate care provision within human medicine.

If you would like to make a contribution, you may download a donation form from our downloads section, or telephone BEVA Office on 01638 723555.

Why not consider organising a fundraising event or sponsored activity to help us raise valuable funds, to improve welfare and safety at Equine rescues. Call Clare at the BEVA office or e-mail clare.ascroft@beva.org.uk to find out about how we can help support you!

* Every donation is of immense value to us and we thank you for your continued support *