Our work in Romania

Romania is a country that has great respect for the horse, but a lack of skills and knowledge have led to a desperate welfare situation, particularly among the country's one million working horses. World Horse Welfare works to improve the basic care of Romania's horses through education and training.

 

Project Romania is a five-year campaign (started in 2006), which involves twice-yearly, free veterinary seminars at veterinary faculties throughout Romania. These complement the schemes run by our International Training Department, focusing on practical elements of horsecare, such as farriery and nutrition.

 

The veterinary seminars and training schemes help to educate owners and those looking after horses, helping to equip them with the skills to ensure their horses are healthy and fit for work.

 

We hold six seminars aimed at student veterinary surgeons and four that are tailored to the needs of practising veterinary surgeons each year. We also ran a seminar for the country's 60-or-so official Government vets in 2007 and 2009.

 

Since 2004, we have worked at Government level to push horse welfare up the political agenda in Romania. During 2008 - a significant year in our work here - we saw the introduction of law 205/2004, regarding the protection of animals. Meanwhile, in 2009, World Horse Welfare worked with decision-makers, helping to put in place a long-term equine health and welfare strategy with the aim of focusing horseowners, equine professionals and the Government on improving infrastructure and working conditions for horses.

 

For more information, please visit www.worldhorsewelfare.ro.