FVE Activities

 
  First FVE Strategy meeting took place in Berlin on 12 January

The meeting was attended by 25 delegates from Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden and the UK. For the FVE Board, President Walter Winding and Vice-Presidents Ljiljana Markus-Cizelj and Stephen Ware participated.

The strengths of the veterinary profession, the changing social environment and how the veterinary profession could best deliver its services were discussed, as well as many other topics concerning the future of our evolving profession. The outcome of this first meeting and of the two subsequent meetings in Belgrade (23 March) and Madrid (20 April) will be used for drafting the new FVE strategy.

Composition FVE Statutory Bodies Working Group

The decision on the composition of the FVE Statutory Bodies Working Group was taken during the recent FVE Board meeting on 11 January in Berlin. The following members were chosen:
Stephen Ware (FVE Board – Chair), Christian Rondeau (FR), Donatella Loni (IT), Solfrid Åmdal (NO), Valerie Beatty (IE), Damyan Iliev (BG), Veronique Bellemain (EASVO, FR) and Joost van Herten (NL). A first meeting of the group will be soon arranged.
 
  FVE would like to express its sincere sympathy with the Haitian people for the serious consequences they are currently experiencing as a result of the earthquake from 12 January.

Firstly the important human issues have to be addressed, but following this the health and welfare of the livestock as well as companion animals will need to be addressed. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and its Foundation (AVMF) are planning to provide assistance via its Veterinary Medical Assistance Teams (VMAT) as soon as this would be required. For further information: AVMA website

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation (FAO) has called for financial support of the food production in the fields and backyards of Haiti. Not only the areas which were most affected by the earthquake, but also more rural areas which were not directly affected, will feel the impact of the disaster. Already before the earthquake Haiti depended on food imports, even though around 85 % of Haitians are involved in agriculture (source FAO). For more information: FAO

 

EFSA: external reports on Sarcocystis, Trichinella, Echinococcus and Cysticercus
 
  Last week European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published four external reports on the development of harmonized schemes on Sarcocystis, Trichinella, Echinococcus and Cysticercus.

The reports are accessible via the EFSA website:
-   Development of harmonised schemes for the monitoring and reporting of Sarcocystis in animals and foodstuffs in the European Union
-    Development of harmonised schemes for the monitoring and reporting of Trichinella in animals and foodstuffs in the European Union
-    Development of harmonised schemes for the monitoring and reporting of Echinococcus in animals and foodstuffs in the European Union
-    Development of harmonised schemes for the monitoring and reporting of Cysticercus in animals and foodstuffs in the European Union
 
  This years World Veterinary Day will be celebrated on Saturday, 24th April, 2010.

In 2008 the World Veterinary Association (WVA) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) agreed on the creation of the World Veterinary Day Award aimed at rewarding the most successful celebration of the veterinary profession by national veterinary associations, alone, or in cooperation with any other selected veterinary body. This years theme of the World Veterinary Day will be ‘One World, One Health: more cooperation between veterinarians and physicians’
For more information and for the instructions on how to participate in the World Veterinary Day please visit the WVA website.

Website launch: Western Balkans Veterinary Network for Animal Welfare
 
  Recently a new website for the Western Balkans Veterinary Network for Animal Welfare (WBVN) was launched. 
 
The WBVN was founded in 2008 by the RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) and the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Skopje, FYROM. The initiators of the network hope that the website will become a central point for information about animal welfare for academics and professionals across the region. The platform provides useful resources and information about upcoming events and will be continuously updated with new and interesting information.
 
  The International Federation for Animal Health (IFAH) is celebrating its annual ‘European Pet Night’ on Wednesday, 24 February 2010 in the European Parliament in Brussels.

The event is a unique opportunity to celebrate pets and their contribution to people and society. The evening reception will be opened by the host MEPs Caroline Lucas (President of the parliamentary intergroup on the conservation and welfare of animals, Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety) and Dr. Horst Schnellhardt (Veterinarian; Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety).

Registration is mandatory before 17 February 2010 by sending an email to P. Barcellona. For more information see IFAH website. FVE is one of the co-organisers of the event and will have an information-booth at the venue.