WSPA-CAMDA VET AID PROJECT
Since CAMDA's aid campaign began in 2000 following the first and most disastrous - until now - of the dzuds (extreme winter weather) that had overwhelmed Mongolia's nomadic herding communities it became increasingly clear there was an urgent need for an aid package to address a crucially important issue - the low state of health of herders' vital horses. So many had perished (it was later thought as many as 500,000 and possibly more), and of those left large numbers were in a poor state of health, prone to disease, and mares were losing too many foals.
In a joint CAMDA-ILPH-funded project late in 2002, we inoculated horse herds in Gurvansaikhan - Dundgobi, and after that winter found that they had not suffered unusual losses, plus the mares were making good with foal production.
In a joint CAMDA-ILPH-funded project late in 2002, we inoculated horse herds in Gurvansaikhan - Dundgobi, and after that winter found that they had not suffered unusual losses, plus the mares were making good with foal production.
This success led us to plan for a much wider programme of horse inoculation, but our own funds were too limited. In May 2003 we approached WSPA - World Society for the Protection of Animals who granted our application. Together with our CEO John Pirie, WSPA's Trevor Wheeler and Alistair (Ali) Findlay paid a field visit to Bulgan where they could see the need for our work, being an area that had suffered heavy losses in the earlier dzuds
Their generous budget covered the purchase of two 4WD vehicles, vet equipment, and funds to treat 10,000 horses in the autumn of 2003. In fact we managed to treat 11,000 in Khishig Unduur soum, and again these treated horses were found to be in better health at winter's end. WSPA then provided for additional horses to be treated in Khuvsgul (another badly hit province). Through 2004 and 2005 numbers were steadily increased, and by 2006 had reached 39,000 - which included more horses back in Dundgobi.
One final push came in 2007 with the treatment of 49,000 in those 3 provinces, and during their last visit (Sept 2007) to Bulgan, Trevor and Ali were very satisfied to find herds in such a good state of health. As well as funding so many treatments over the years, Ali - during annual visits - managed to impart to some herder groups ways to improve animal handling and welfare where there was occasional need for this, although the large majority of herders have great regard for their all too important horses.
In spite of WSPA funding having ceased since the end of 2007, the project has been maintained with our own funds, but the global financial meltdown has made its upkeep for 2010 looking very difficult to keep to the same levels unless funds from elsewhere are obtained.
In spite of WSPA funding having ceased since the end of 2007, the project has been maintained with our own funds, but the global financial meltdown has made its upkeep for 2010 looking very difficult to keep to the same levels unless funds from elsewhere are obtained.
Most pictures on this page are of photos taken by Ali during his last Mongolian visit, showing vets at work in Bulgan, and of them being presented with WSPA certificates acknowledging their valuable contributions to this project which, by helping to bring robust health back to these herds that had suffered from extreme weather and disease, has equally benefited their owners - nomadic herding families, whose lives had also been badly affected by their animals' misfortunes.
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World Society for the
Protection of Animals
Protection of Animals