At WVS, we recognise that the health of humans, domestic and wild animals, plants, and the wider environment are closely linked. The natural world is an intricate web, with every living being playing a crucial role. We are working to protect people, wildlife, pets, and all creatures, on a global scale.
World Photography Day takes place annually on 19th August to celebrate the art, craft, science and history of photography. We wanted to showcase some photos that highlight our One Health approach. Veterinary care supports more than just domestic animals, it also protects wildlife and humans. It does far more than treat injuries and diseases, it prevents ecosystems being disrupted, and stops habitats becoming overwhelmed and overpopulated. It can also help stop the spread of deadly disease between domestic animals to wildlife and humans.
Conservation through vet care in Ecuador
The Galápagos Islands are home to diverse and unique wildlife. From sealions to seals, tortoises to flamingos, all types of wildlife live side by side, but they are under threat from domestic animals. As these animals breed, they often roam further afield, unwittingly threatening the delicate ecosystem they live amongst and bring diseases and parasites that the endemic wildlife has no immunity to.
Through our clinic, the Galápagos Animal Doctors, we are protecting wildlife by promoting animal health, welfare, sterilisation, and responsible owners for domestic species. In July, we commenced a vaccination campaign in Santa Cruz. The objective of this outreach is to vaccinate the entire canine population to create a healthy population free from disease. These vaccines are protecting animals against distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus and leptospirosis. This campaign is doing more than just protecting the canine population, but endemic wildlife as well, particularly the Galápagos Sealion, which remains susceptible these viruses.
Our work in Ecuador has expanded from the Galápagos Islands into the Andes on the mainland. With the success of our original Andes surgical teaching campaign at the end of 2023, and its high demand and impact, we have completed further campaigns in 2024. These campaigns take up to 15 Ecuadorian veterinary students on a 5-day campaign structured around surgical and anaesthetic training, exposing them to international standards of veterinary care. The communities are chosen specifically for their limited access to veterinary care, and the high conflict between domesticated species, livestock, wildlife and the Quechua people that inhabit these communities. These allow us to protect endemic wildlife like the Andea Condor, Spectacled Bear, and Puma.
In July, we completed our most recent campaign in the Cotopaxi region. The students from Universidad Central de Quito (USQF), rotated around admittance, preparation, surgery, anaesthesia, and recovery, with experienced WVS staff training and support them. The team were able to complete 147 animal sterilisations in just four days.
Access to Vet Care programme in India
Working alongside Mariamma Trust and Karnataka Forest Department, a two-week outreach project was delivered in the villages surrounding Bandipur National Park earlier this year. This campaign was part of our Access to Vet Care programme in India, focusing on providing essential veterinary services, such as spay/neuter surgeries and vaccinations, to areas where care is limited. Deadly diseases like rabies and distemper are posing a threat to both domestic animals and endangered species like tigers, panthers, and wild dogs. The issue is that these villages surrounding the parks do not have access to these essential vaccinations. The aim of this campaign was to provide these vaccinations, and humane sterilisation to prevent disease outbreaks, which improves the health of the domestic animals and contribute to the conservation of wildlife. This also ensures the protection of local communities, as dogs serve as a reservoir for rabies and are the main source of transmission to humans. Through vaccination and sterilisation these outreach campaigns protect domestic animals, wildlife and humans.
Preventative treatment for temple dogs in Thailand
Our team in Chiang Mai, Thailand, have developed good relationships with many temples across the province and regularly treat dogs brought to them by monks and temple volunteers. At the end of last year, the team created a plan to reach out to all the temples in the local areas to visit them and provide treatments and preventative care to all their animals. It tends to be case that a lot of temples in Thailand end up looking after free roaming dogs, as many end up being dumped onto their property. We wanted to make sure that we could prevent diseases within dog populations.
We have been providing flea, tick and deworming medications, routine vaccinations, as well treating basic wounds and providing management advice. Administering rabies vaccinations also ensures the protection of communities from this cruel and deadly disease. The team provided our centre’s information to monks for any unsterilised animals, to organise times for these dogs to be sterilised at our centre. Sterilising dogs is important, as overpopulation and uncontrolled breeding of stray dogs leads to overcrowding, which results in competition for resources, the spread of deadly diseases, conflicts, and issues within communities. Our teams have been working hard this year, continuing this outreach programme, providing veterinary care and treatment to hundreds of temple animals.
Tanzania sterilisation and rabies vaccination programme
Our programme in Tanzania started in 2015, by providing spay and neuter surgeries to communities, with Mission Rabies joining the following year. We now annually, conduct a sterilisation and rabies vaccination programme, in partnership with Mbwa Wa Africa Animal Rescue and Mission Rabies. With limited access to veterinary care in the region, uncontrolled breeding has caused suffering for many animals. The aim of this project is to create healthier animal populations, provide essential veterinary care, and protect communities from this deadly disease. Each year we assemble a volunteer veterinary taskforce to provide essential veterinary services including the delivery of free spay and neuter surgeries to owned or stray dogs and cats and administer rabies vaccinations. The core concept of this outreach campaign is One Health, by ensuring a healthy canine population, whilst protecting local communities from rabies. This year, 8,219 animals were vaccinated against rabies, 314 sterilisations were performed, and over 23,000 children were educated on rabies prevention.
Wildlife tracking in Majete Wildlife Reserve, Malawi
Since 2003, the Majete Wildlife Reserve, which is managed by African Parks, has become a place of resurgence and restoration, as a lot of the wildlife had previously been hunted out due to poaching and other human activities. Over 2,000 animals from 17 different species have been reintroduced since, including the black rhino. The illegal wildlife trade still poses a giant threat to species, which is why our team in Malawi have been working with Majete Wildlife Reserve to support conservation efforts through vet care. We are working closely with them to treat sick and injured wildlife, support with reintroductions and monitor key species. We do all this from our Animal Care Centre in the Majete Wildlife Reserve.
The reserve’s monitoring efforts are vital in keeping the wildlife safe, to help understand their movements in the reserve and protect them from potential poaching incidents by acting as an early warning signal. By having a veterinary team during the process of fitting tracking devices, it means that procedures can be performed in the field, ensuring the least stress and disturbance for the wildlife. Our team assist with safely darting animals, monitoring their vitals, administering medicines and gently fitting tracking devices. Usually, for wildlife a collar is fitted, but for rhinos this is an impractical option, so instead tracking devices are inserted into the horn.
One health, one future: discover the ways you can get involved
Sign up
Sign up to our newsletter to hear updates from our global projects and how you can make a difference for animal welfare.
Volunteer
We need volunteers all over the world, both veterinary trained and non-vets, to join us in making a difference. You can join us at our clinic in the Galápagos to protect the unique wildlife through vet care or get involved in one of our Mission Rabies trips to protect the lives of both humans and animals. If you are interested in volunteering with wildlife, we have opportunities in Malawi, South Africa, or Uruguay.
Fundraise
Are you looking for a new challenge? Whether you are putting your best foot forward, cooing up a storm, or taking the plunge, you will be helping to treat animals in need, ship critical supplies, train frontline workers, and raise the standard of veterinary care globally.