Reaching new global audiences
25 January 2021
The HSA’s Technical Director, Charlie Mason, gave a virtual presentation to an audience of over 31,000 people as part of the Challenges of Animal Protection and Welfare in the Context of Covid-19 Pandemic seminar organised by the China Biodiversity Conservation & Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) based in Beijing.
One of the organisers of the seminar, Dr Sara Platto, Associate Professor at Jianghan University said: “The COVID-19 epidemic is the most serious infectious disease pandemic in the world in a century. It is a major public health emergency with the fastest spread, the widest range of infections, and the most difficult prevention and control since the founding of New China…. It has aroused animal welfare concerns and the public's concern for wild animals as a source of virus infection and animal protection. Animal welfare is of great significance to the prevention and control of animal diseases...”
Charlie’s presentation On-Farm Slaughter or Killing of Livestock – a UK Perspective outlined key points relating to the reasons and methods available for on-farm slaughter or killing of livestock, as well as disease control methods, biosecurity, carcase disposal and forward planning considerations. On-farm killing may be necessitated when slaughterhouse capacity becomes reduced, which may occur if workers are unavailable due to Covid-19 infection, and must be carefully planned to ensure animal welfare is protected.
You can view Charlie’s presentation here: https://youtu.be/A5_U-VmnXXU?t=5257. The HSA also produces a number of publications in Chinese and other languages which can be viewed and downloaded free of charge from our website here: hsa.org.uk/publications
The seminar was supported by the HSA’s sister charity, UFAW (Universities Federation for Animal Welfare).