Newsletter – May 2011 22009January/February 09
Learning About Animals was set up to provide information and promote interest in the welfare and behaviour of animals. The aim is to bridge the gap between professionals & scientists working with animals and the public.
If you have any suggestions for future events or if you would like to be considered to be a speaker please contact me.
I am also a qualified equine behaviourist and run consultations in Surrey and the Home Counties. For more details please visit the relevant section of the web site.
EVENTS LIST
Animal Evenings: Series of evening talks
Talk 1: ‘Life as a vet in rural Surrey’
and ‘Adventures working for animals overseas’ £5, tickets only available in advance.
Details. Wednesday 22nd June 2011, 7.30pm Taking bookings now.
HORSES: Equine behaviour and training with Ben Hart A series of three day workshops.
Details. To attend the third workshop you must have attended at least one of the
first two workshops as we will explore more deeply the issues covered in a more advanced
workshop.
9th July 2011
8th October 2011
(£45 for each day. Book the next two at once
for a saving) Taking bookings now.
Animal Welfare: Making a difference for animals
13th August 2011
Making a difference
for animals
An introduction to the field of animal welfare, consideration of many
different issues and what we can each do to make a difference. Details. Taking bookings
now.
HORSES: An Introduction to Equine Behaviour
Morning workshop exploring what horses
need, how they learn and how we can build relationships with our four-
HORSES: Exploring the latest findings in equine cognition 12th November 2011 (morning event; with Leanne Proops; details). Taking bookings now.
The views expressed by the speakers are not necessarily those held by Learning About Animals
Two voices for animals
This isn’t a Learning About Animals event but I’ll be there as it is very exciting! On 23rd June Virginia Mackenna, founder of the Born Free Foundation, and Jill Robinson from Animals Asia are giving a talk in Farnham. These two amazing ladies and the charities they represent have done so much for animals that I can’t wait for this event!
See this website for more details.
Did you know?
According to Froglife, one third of ponds have disappeared in the past 50 years.
This has had a detrimental effect on populations of amphibians. You can help by creating
a wildlife pond in your garden -
Just a dog
By Sandra Dee
From time to time, people tell me,
"lighten up, it's just a dog,"
or, "that's a lot
of money for just a dog."
They don't understand the distance travelled,
the time spent,
or the costs involved for
"just a dog."
Some of my proudest moments have come about with
"just a dog."
Many hours have passed
and my only company was
"just a dog,"
but I did not once feel slighted.
Some of my saddest moments have been brought about by
"just a dog,"
and in those days
of darkness,
the gentle touch of "just a dog"
gave me comfort and reason to overcome
the day.
If you, too, think it's "just a dog,"
then you will probably understand phases
like
"just a friend," "just a sunrise," or
"just a promise."
"Just a dog" brings into my life the very essence
of friendship, trust, and pure
unbridled joy.
"Just a dog" brings out the compassion and
patience that make me a
better person.
Because of "just a dog" I will rise early,
take long walks and look
longingly to the future.
So for me and folks like me, it's not "just a dog"
but an
embodiment of all the hopes and dreams
of the future, the fond memories of the past,
and
the pure joy of the moment.
"Just a dog" brings out what's good in me and
diverts my thoughts away from myself
and the
worries of the day.
I hope that someday they can understand that
it's not "just
a dog"
but the thing that gives me humanity and keeps
me from being "just a man."
So the next time you hear the phrase "just a dog."
just smile, because they "just
don't understand."
Annie the Elephant
April saw the elderly elephant, Annie, who has been part of a circus for the last 50 years finally find retirement and an escape from life on the road. For many years many organisations have been campaigning for the circus owners to give Anne up so that she can live out her years being cared for properly. Recently ADI (Animal Defenders International) released footage of Anne being hit with a pitch fork and kicked in her arthritic legs! This rightly caused outrage and many organisations working together resulted in Anne being moved to a safari park while her longer term future is decided. You can see a lovely video of Anne in Longleat here.
This month the future of wild animals in circuses was discussed in the House of Commons. Hopes were high that a ban would be passed but despite a petition from 22,000 members of the public and numerous animal welfare groups calling for a ban this did not go ahead. The reason was partly because there is a threat of legal proceedings against the Austrian government who recently agreed such a plan by the European Circuses Association. This is apparently what caused MPs to rule against a ban in the UK; a disappointing move as discussed in this article in The Guardian. The Independent also covered this. You can join the RSPCA’s Big Stop campaign here.
Four things to do
1. Sign the RSPCA’s petition to ban the use of wild animals in circuses:
http://www.giveanimalsavoice.org.uk/campaigns/big-
2. Support CIWF to defend the ban on battery cages
http://action.ciwf.org.uk/ea-
3. Spoil yourself or your dog by ordering from the GRWE website shop; the profit goes to support greyhound rescue.
4. Follow Ben Hart on Facebook -
Interactive Learning in The Gambia
In early April I travelled to The Gambia to visit the Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust (GHDT) to help extension workers to communicate effectively with the animal owners they work with. Attendees included people working with cattle, chimps, horses and donkeys and the GHDT staff.
The concept behind the training is illustrated by the quote ‘Tell me and I forget, show me and I remember, involve me and I understand” – learning is easiest and most memorable by being truly involved.
The picture shows an activity about swingletrees -
GHDT does amazing work for animals and people in collaboration with the local community. Check out their website (link above) and shop.
Stressed. Lonely. Overweight. Bored. Aggressive. Misunderstood.....but Loved....
According to the recent PDSA Pet Well-
The report will be used by animal welfare organisations to better target their campaigns.
In Depth Events.....
In April a follow-
In July Ben Hart will be presenting the second in a series of three talks for Learning
About Animals. In February the first day explored some of the myths around horse
behaviour and the problems with using the word ‘dominance’ to describe relationships
between horses and humans. In this second event we will further explore training
and behaviour of horses now that we understand the problems of defining the human-
Further events at a more advanced level are in the pipeline.
Image courtesy of computerclipart.com
*NEW* Animal Evenings: Series of talks with optional time afterwards to mingle over
nibbles
These events aim to provide a chance for people interested in animals, whether
as professionals or just for interest, to relax over nibbles after one or two short
talks. For those who can’t resist a spot of shopping, there will also be things to
buy in aid of various animal charities. The venue will change each time although
if a core of the same people wish to attend these evenings then we can work out where
is best to hold them. Profits from these talks will go to a different animal charity
each time.
First Animal Evening: Wednesday 22nd June 2011
Talks -
and
Suzanne Rogers: Adventures
working with animals overseas
Price: £5 tickets only available in advance by cheque or link below.
When: Arrive
to start at 7pm, talks finish 8.15 with optional stay until 9pm.
Where: Hardwick
Court Farm, Hardwick Lane, Chertsey, Surrey (not all events will be held here).
Interesting Links
1. Philip Lymbery’s excellent blog
2. Monkey memory more complex than first thought
3. New study on personality traits in birds
4. Biggest great white shark caught (and released)
5. Fish “walks” on beach to spawn
6. Innovative plan to pay fishermen to catch plastic
7. PDSA e-
8. How to tell the difference between grasshoppers and crickets
Featured Website
– One Kind
OneKind is “an animal protection charity re-
OneKind works through high-
“HumanKind, AnimalKind, OneKind” summarises the key message. Check out the excellent video “We’re not that different”.