Humans and animals, living together

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 25/07/2016 (3449 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

If you are a firefighter, a peace officer, a farmer, a veterinarian, a social worker or someone who encounters animals in the course of your work, you will want to attend the upcoming One Welfare conference.

The International One Welfare Conference will be in Winnipeg Sept. 26 – 28. It seeks to deal with public health threats at their sources. The conference will examine animal and human welfare in conditions where human mental health directly affects outcomes for all involved species.

How human mental health impacts all species is an emerging topic. At this conference, you will interact not only with the front-line workers already mentioned but also national and international experts and decision makers in areas of human and animal health. Delegates can expect to discuss science, best practices, models, and policies.

The topics up for discussion are fascinating, timely, and socially relevant.They include: animal hoarding and domestic squalor; self-care strategies for front-line workers who suffer from compassion fatigue; and the role of Equine Assisted Learning on human development and on animal welfare.

Other topics that are global, but also of local interest, are part of some of the conference speakers’ expertise:

Consider the role animals play in the life of a homeless person. The bond a human might share with an animal is one area to discuss, but so is the well-being and physical health of the animal.

Consider what new research might reveal in situations where a “battered pet” might exist. The links between abuse of children, vulnerable adults, and pets indicate that animal abuse may possibly be associated with violence towards humans.

Consider the welfare of domesticated animals in isolated communities or isolated parts of the province. How do we bring sustainable veterinary care and education to these parts of our vast, sparsely populated province?

We read about the increasing challenges the private and public sectors face when it comes to the impact of human mental health on animals. One potential outcome of this conference is that governments, community-based organizations and industry will collaborate to prevent, mitigate and solve.

For more conference information, visit onewelfareconference.ca

Kari Hasselriis is an equine enthusiast who lives in St. Francois Xavier. Email her at  kari@eighthorses.ca