Graham Cory chief executive of the BHS confirmed that the Board of the BHS has approved a donation of £6,000 to the Emergency Services Protocol Veterinary Fund.
The Emergency Services Protocol has been established by the BHS to ensure that emergency crews have clearly laid out procedures for dealing with horses involved in incidents and that injured horses are attended to as quickly as possible by a vet with the appropriate knowledge and practice facilities. The BEVA membership has responded overwhelming and hundreds of practices are already signed up to be on the Emergency Services call centre contact list. Graham Cory today said, "It is clearly not conscionable that we should permit horses to suffer unnecessarily simply through want of immediate veterinary care and attention. The BHS is delighted to support the fund established by BEVA by means of which we can ensure that horses are attended to within the quickest possible time."
The function of the Emergency Services Protocol Veterinary Fund is to ensure that no veterinary practice, committed to having its details included in the Emergency Services call centre list, should suffer financially because of that commitment if, having attended road traffic incidents, they are then unable to recover their fees. Although the principle and driving force of the fund is to support veterinary practices it is hoped that there will be more than sufficient monies raised to satisfy its primary purpose. If this is the case any surplus funds will be used to cover the training of Emergency Service Officers in basic horse handling skills and equine emergency management. Further funding plans could also include the provision of specialist lifting equipment and a training DVD.
BEVA President Josh Slater said “I am delighted that the BHS have so readily supported this valuable initiative not only in their instigation of the construction of the Protocol and subsequent provision of horse handling skills training but with this most generous donation too.”
The Protocol will be officially launched by HRH The Princess Royal at a reception at Buckingham Palace on 15 th May 2007 where it is hoped representatives of all areas of the equine industry will be present.
For more information on how to make a donation and/or to sign up your practice to the Emergency Services call centre list please click here