Thanks to our amazing supporters, WVS has been able to help more animals in need every year. Find out more about our inspirational projects, world-class training and ambitious plans for the future in the reports below.
Annual Reports
If you have any questions about any aspect of our work, please get in touch at fundraising@wvs.org.uk
A letter from our CEO
Thanks to the many incredible individuals and organisations supporting our mission to improve animal welfare. 2023 was a massive year with new and expanding projects worldwide. Together we have given thousands of animals access to care through the deployment of veterinary teams, global aid parcel shipments, and expert training for local and international veterinary professionals.
Over 70,000 animals were directly treated by our dedicated teams. Not only this, but thousands more have benefited from the training and support we have provided to veterinary professionals, organisations, and owners. Striving to create healthier, happier animal populations, your support has allowed us to perform 26,564 sterilisation surgeries and directly administer 318,673 vaccinations; a further 633,398 were administered in conjunction with the International Rabies Taskforce (IRT) and other partner organisations, with technical support and guidance provided by our teams.
Through our expert training programmes, we have ensured that high-quality care can continue in places that have limited access to veterinary services, empowering communities, and raising the standard of care delivered.
In 2023, over 3,924 vets and vet students were trained though our ITCs, All-Terrain Clinic, Taskforce, and outreach programmes, with our online WVS Academy allowing us to reach thousands more. Through our education programmes, we successfully reached an impressive 1,205,076 million children, along with 23,204 teachers and 239,240 community members. Our rabies prevention lessons equip people with the knowledge that will save their life from one of the world’s oldest and deadliest diseases.
Our veterinary aid shipments have continued to provide a lifeline for animals globally with 854 parcels sent to 66 different countries. We have supported more than 200 animal welfare organisations to treat a variety of species in some of the world’s most deprived areas, where even basic care is often lacking. By providing these essential supplies, ranging from pain medication to life-saving equipment, we are significantly enhancing the well-being of sick and injured animals in distress.
We launched Mission Rabies, our campaign to eliminate rabies, as its own charity in 2015. This year marked a significant change as Mission Rabies once again became a project of WVS under the guidance of the Dogs Trust family. I extend my deepest gratitude to trustees past and present who worked tirelessly to make this transition a reality. In particular, Owen Sharp, our new Chair of Trustees who has championed this merger and is now empowering WVS to build on the work to date, deliver our potential and help many more animals around the world.
Thanks to the inspiring commitment and dedication of our staff, volunteers, partners, and donors, our collective efforts have accelerated this year, creating positive change for animal welfare and fostering healthier communities. We are extremely grateful to all the volunteers and supporters who are an integral part of our team. I hope you will enjoy reading about the accomplishments made possible by your support throughout 2023 and the cases showing what that support means to each individual animal. We now look on to the year ahead, recognising that there is still much to do until every animal receives the expert care they deserve.
2024 holds immense promise. We are now expanding at an unprecedented pace, and I look forward to sharing more news, as we power forward throughout the year.
Luke
Dr Luke Gamble BVSc DVM&S FRCVS
Founder & CEO, Worldwide Veterinary Service