Vets get on their bikes to help vulnerable African horses

The Vets With Horsepower project once again saw an intrepid group of vets get on their motorbikes to travel hundreds of miles across South Africa to vaccinate horses against African Horse Sickness (AHS) in remote regions.

With assistance from Animal health company Zoetis, nine British vets took to motorcycles to reach hundreds of horses with vital vaccinations over the summer.

The specialist vets undertook a 2,500 kilometre motorbike trip over 12 days, taking them from Johannesburg to Cape Town. Along this route, they organised education events for horse owners and vets and raised funds for three South African charities: Ethelbert Children’s Home, The Highveld Horsecare Unit and The Bizana Project.

The Bizana Project offers veterinary care for horses that serve as transport in the remotest parts of South Africa. Some 10,000 working equids assist in vital transport networks, from getting children to school to helping traders to market. Despite the threat of AHS there is no dedicated veterinary support in the region.

The Vets With Horsepower volunteers spent a day with the Bizana Project, aiding vets in giving AHS vaccinations for working horses and donkeys.

The voluntary project, which helps raise funds for equine and human charities globally, is organised by Professor Derek Knottenbelt. “The loss of a horse here means kids can’t go to school and it’s an enormous loss of income to the family too. The more horses we can vaccinate the more animals can be saved and the more families can survive and thrive,” he explained.

Vets With Horsepower has raised more than £400,000 in six years. To donate, visit http://www.justgiving.com/vetswith-horsepower