The IZS dell’Abruzzo e del Molise in Croatia for Animal Welfare

On February 2014, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) and the Centre for Animal Welfare of the Croatian Veterinary Institute (Croazia) invited the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise “G. Caporale” (IZSAM), OIE Collaborating Centre for Veterinary Training, Epidemiology, Food Safety and Animal Welfare, to take part to the first regional meeting of animal welfare experts for the Western Balkan countries.

The event, which was held at Terme Tuhelj (Croatia) on the 27^th and the 28^th of February 2014, promoted the exchange and debate between the members of the Western Balkans Veterinary Network (representatives of the National Competent Authorities, Universities, Research Institutes and NGOs) and the overseas guests on the elaboration of a common regional strategy for the promotion of animal welfare and the creation of a regional Advisory Committee for animal welfare in the Western Balkan Region.

IZSAM presented the related training opportunities and the research and divulgation initiatives promoted in the field.

It is important to remember that IZSAM provides the General Direction for Health and Consumers (DG SANCO) of the European Commission with training courses on Animal Welfare, whether through traditional educational initiatives or through eLearning courses promoted by the initiative Better Training For Safer Food. More specifically, within the framework of the contract with the Consumers, Health and Food Executive Agency (CHAFEA) of the European Commission (www.sancotraining.izs.it), the Training Department is committed for the two-year period 2013-2014, to organize, deliver and manage 14 training courses on animal welfare during transport, in breeding (pigs, laying hens, broiler chickens), during slaughter and culling for the control on animal diseases, as stated in the contract with the Consumers, Health and Food Executive Agency of the European Commission (www.sancotraining.izs.it).

The courses are addressed to the official veterinarians of the EU Member States, the Candidate and the Third Countries. The Balkan countries are always invited to take part to these training activities with the aim of facilitating the knowledge of the European legislation, research and the initiatives promoted to strengthen the application of the legislation and the international standards in the field of animal welfare.

Moreover, during the meeting representatives of IZSAM presented several projects and experiences regarding the dissemination of knowledge and the use of new technologies in training activities (activities and experimentations developed within projects financed by DG SANCO on animal welfare in control posts and during long lasting transports/ long journeys - www.controlpost.eu) and contributed in facilitating the group activities with the aim of lining out intervention requirements and priorities in the Balkan region on animal welfare.