Letters WELFARE AT SLAUGHTER
Role of vets in abattoirs AS a veterinarian who spent several years working in abattoirs, it is with sadness that I read the recent articles in the press following the Farm Animal Welfare Committee report on CCTV in slaughterhouses (VR, February 14, 2015, vol 176, p 162). What is even more worrying is the clam from Animal Aid that vets spent much of their time in offices and were often reluctant to witness animals being killed (Anon 2015). One of the justifications for full-time veterinary supervision at abattoirs was to ensure rigorous implementation of animal welfare legislation and the hygienic production of meat. The latter can be shared with meat inspectors but welfare has always been the prime province of the Official Veterinarians. It is to be hoped that the consequences of outsourcing veterinary cover to private organisations has not
precipitated a loss of veterinarians’ raison d’etre. Jayne Wright, Underhill House, Putley, Herefordshire HR8 2QR e-mail: [email protected]
Reference
ANON (2015) Rites and Wrongs. www.thetimes. co.uk/tto/opinion/leaders/article4343581.ece. Accessed February 15, 2015
doi: 10.1136/vr.h930
VETERINARY BENEVOLENT FUND
RCVS funding for health support programme THE Board of the Veterinary Benevolent Fund (VBF) would like to express its gratitude to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons following the recent announcement that the College intends to double its funding to the charity’s health support programme to £500,000 over the next five years [see page 212 of this issue]. The support that the Veterinary Surgeons’ Health Support Programme offers for issues related to alcohol, drugs, eating disorders and other health problems is highly confidential and, therefore, difficult to discuss publicly, but currently over 200 members of the profession are receiving support from the programme (mostly for mood disorders) and 2014 saw a rise of 28 per cent in the number of requests for assistance by the service. This additional funding will allow the service to expand and employ another mental health professional and will also give it more scope to meet the specific needs of the individuals under its care. Working together with the Mind Matter’s initiative, the VBF is confident that real improvements can be made to the wellbeing of the veterinary profession in the next few years. Once again, we are very grateful to the College and to all those who support the VBF. John Moffitt, President, Veterinary Benevolent Fund, 7 Mansfield Street, London W1G 9NQ e-mail: [email protected] doi: 10.1136/vr.h1078
236 | Veterinary Record | February 28, 2015
Role of vets in abattoirs AS a veterinarian who spent several years working in abattoirs, it is with sadness that I read the recent articles in the press following the Farm Animal Welfare Committee report on CCTV in slaughterhouses (VR, February 14, 2015, vol 176, p 162). What is even more worrying is the clam from Animal Aid that vets spent much of their time in offices and were often reluctant to witness animals being killed (Anon 2015). One of the justifications for full-time veterinary supervision at abattoirs was to ensure rigorous implementation of animal welfare legislation and the hygienic production of meat. The latter can be shared with meat inspectors but welfare has always been the prime province of the Official Veterinarians. It is to be hoped that the consequences of outsourcing veterinary cover to private organisations has not
precipitated a loss of veterinarians’ raison d’etre. Jayne Wright, Underhill House, Putley, Herefordshire HR8 2QR e-mail: [email protected]
Reference
ANON (2015) Rites and Wrongs. www.thetimes. co.uk/tto/opinion/leaders/article4343581.ece. Accessed February 15, 2015
doi: 10.1136/vr.h930
VETERINARY BENEVOLENT FUND
RCVS funding for health support programme THE Board of the Veterinary Benevolent Fund (VBF) would like to express its gratitude to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons following the recent announcement that the College intends to double its funding to the charity’s health support programme to £500,000 over the next five years [see page 212 of this issue]. The support that the Veterinary Surgeons’ Health Support Programme offers for issues related to alcohol, drugs, eating disorders and other health problems is highly confidential and, therefore, difficult to discuss publicly, but currently over 200 members of the profession are receiving support from the programme (mostly for mood disorders) and 2014 saw a rise of 28 per cent in the number of requests for assistance by the service. This additional funding will allow the service to expand and employ another mental health professional and will also give it more scope to meet the specific needs of the individuals under its care. Working together with the Mind Matter’s initiative, the VBF is confident that real improvements can be made to the wellbeing of the veterinary profession in the next few years. Once again, we are very grateful to the College and to all those who support the VBF. John Moffitt, President, Veterinary Benevolent Fund, 7 Mansfield Street, London W1G 9NQ e-mail: [email protected] doi: 10.1136/vr.h1078
236 | Veterinary Record | February 28, 2015
