The WVS App is designed for effective data collection and team management in the field. First developed in 2014, it continues to be a powerful force for WVS and other organisations to conduct efficient field research to benefit both animal welfare and operational impact.
Three ways we used the App in 2019
Goa, India: we launched a study to investigate treatment methods for myiasis (maggot infested wounds), a common condition which inflicts chronic suffering on many stray dogs. The study is exploring resource requirements and healing times to allow clinics to better nurse these animals back to health.
In Tanzania, carts designed for oxen are routinely being misused for donkeys. This causes significant pain and suffering. WVS used the app to collect data to quantify the issue, meaning we can now work with the animal’s owners to treat the donkeys and protect them from further injury.
Across our International Training Centres, the app is now being used to assess course participants’ knowledge before and after each course – ensuring the best course content and structure. This work forms the foundation of a constant drive to guarantee WVS training is of a world-class standard.
Using the App to manage rabies response
With our sister charity Mission Rabies, and in collaboration with the Centres of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), saw the app deployed to support an emergency response to an outbreak of rabies on the border between Haiti and Dominican Republic in January 2019. Use of the WVS App enabled rapid, centralised collection of data to understand the scale of the outbreak, to rapidly identify people who had been exposed and plan a comprehensive vaccination response.