6 February 2024

Five things to put on your radar this year

An end to the legal donkey skin trade in Africa?

In November, we announced that the African Union had endorsed Brooke’s recommendation for a continental ban on the donkey skin trade. On the 17-18 February, African Union Heads of State will come together in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to make a decision on whether or not to ratify this recommendation and others put forward by various Specialised Technical Committees. Keep an eye on our social media this month for updates.

The world's first ever Essential Veterinary Medicines for Livestock list is coming

This spring, we’re delighted to finally launch the world’s first Essential Veterinary Medicines for Livestock list in partnership with the World Veterinary Association.

Building on the success of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association’s list of essential medicines for dogs and cats, this new list will feature core medicines and vaccines to serve the care of food-producing animals such as large and small ruminants, equids, pigs, poultry, aquaculture, bees and rabbits.

The pandemic treaty deadline is fast approaching

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, world leaders announced a new treaty on pandemic preparedness and response, with the World Health Assembly setting a May 2024 deadline. Over the last few years, Brooke, through the Action for Animal Health coalition, has aimed to influence negotiations by urging policymakers to consider the strengthening of animal health systems as a fundamental basis of pandemic prevention. There are doubts that the May deadline will be met, but we’ll continue to make the case for a One Health approach.

Negotiations on a 2024 AMR declaration

This September, the United Nations will host the second High-Level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance; the previous having taken place in 2016.

As with the pandemic treaty, Brooke and Action for Animal Health will work to influence negotiations and draw attention to the risks that come with failing to strengthen animal health systems.

90 years of Brooke

This year, we reflect on 90 years since Dorothy Brooke founded Brooke in 1934. Then known as the Old War Horse Memorial Hospital in Egypt, we relieved the suffering of thousands of ex-war horses who had been abandoned in Cairo following World War 1. Today, we’ve expanded to reach millions of working animals across Africa, Asia and Latin America. Find out more about our history here.