General News 1 0 PET TRADE WORLD OCTOBER 2009www. pettradeworld. com World animal welfare organisations unite Budapest hosts the 11th International Companion Animal Welfare Conference Animal welfare organisations, campaigners and interested individuals from around the world have the opportunity to come together at this year's International Companion Animal Welfare Conference ( ICAWC) which will be taking place in Budapest from 7th to 9th October 2009. Run by Dogs Trust, ICAWC is the leading conference of its kind. It is held in a diff erent European city each year and provides a platform where delegates working in the fi eld of animal welfare can network, exchange knowledge and gain support from their international contemporaries. One of the main focuses will be on behaviour and training with speakers highlighting the importance of understanding the psychological as well as physical issues in animal welfare. Speakers will discuss diff erent training techniques including the " Tellington Touch". They will also highlight the behaviour that pets need to be able to express to reduce stress and enhance their emotional wellbeing, suggesting practical ways in which to house, handle and treat companion animals. Speakers include Sarah Fisher from Tellington Touch, Carolyn Menteith from Dog Talk, Claire Bessant from the Feline Advisory Bureau, Dennis Baker OBE from Wood Green Animal Shelters and Steve Goward from Dogs Trust. Over twenty two speakers from across the globe will be presenting at the three day conference. Topics include breeding control, microchipping, health and nutrition as well as setting up education programmes, the importance of publicity and fundraising and further training opportunities available for international delegates. Dogs Trust Chief Executive and founder of ICAWC, Clarissa Baldwin OBE, comments: " We are delighted to be returning to Budapest, the place where the first ever ICAWC conference was held in 1996. Since then ICAWC has welcomed thousands of animal welfare workers from over 40 countries, helping them to share and learn the skills to make the world a better place for companion animals. ICAWC is an invaluable resource for anyone working in this fi eld and we look forward to welcoming even more delegates this year into to the global animal welfare family." Speaker Veterinarian, John Bower BVSc MRCVS, and comments: " As a vet, I fi nd ICAWC a real eye opening experience. With so many renowned speakers and hundreds of enthusiastic delegates, all interested in animal welfare, you cannot help but be challenged, learn and be inspired. " During the conference delegates will have the opportunity to take part in three optional workshops on: Building a website, Practical Responses to Behavioural issues and also a unique opportunity to put their questions directly to the panel of experts. There will also be an opportunity to visit " Animal Island" where delegates will be able to see, fi rsthand, how an effi cient rehoming centre works. The conference is to be held at the Hotel Helia, Budapest, Hungary. The conference registration fee is ? 50 per delegate with an additional workshop attendance fee of ? 20 per person. Delegates can register online at www. icawc. org or contact Helen Speake, ICAWC, 17 Wakley Street, London EC1V 7RQ, UK. Fax: + 44 ( 0) 20 7833 2701. Email: hq- icawc@ dogstrust. org. uk ¦

General News www. pettradeworld. comPET TRADE WORLD OCTOBER 2009 11 Weighing your horse - new research Over the last 3 years, Dodson & Horrell Ltd have been working with World Horse Welfare, The Horse's Trust and the Royal Veterinary College to gather information on owners' perceptions of fatness in their horses and gathering data to help keep horses and ponies healthier! Over 2000 horses and ponies have been weighed, weigh taped and fat scored and at the same time owners have been asked to estimate their horses' bodyweight and fat score. A smaller group of horses and ponies were also ultra-sounded to measure the amount of fat under the skin. Initial results show that if a horse or pony is fat score 4 or more ( using the modifi ed 0- 5 scale) that he will weigh more than the reading on the scientifi cally validated weigh tape. Dr Teresa Hollands one of the researchers says she is ' not surprised by the result as the original population of 3000 horses and ponies used to calibrate the weightape were fat score 3 or less. It is most probable that the extra bodyweight is due to internal fat that the weightape is unable to monitor. Research that is being supported by the World Horse Welfare at the Liverpool Vet school has shown that for every kg that a horse is overweight, then 50% of that weight is due to fat around their internal organs.' The research team would like to thank Burghley Horse Trials, The Golden Horse Shoe, The Right Weight Roadshow, The Home of Rest for Horses, Hall Farm World Horse Welfare, Pony Club, and all the livery yards and Riding Schools that made time for them to go and measure and prod! If you know someone who needs help monitoring their horse's weight or would like more information information, then please contact the Dodson & Horrell Helpline on 0845 3452627 or World Horse Welfare on 01953 498682 ¦ BURNS developed by a veterinary surgeon Experienced fi eld support team . Dedicated to the independent pet trade . Free expert health and nutritional Advice . An alternative to most Veterinary and Prescription Diets TM . Developed by Veterinary Surgeon John Burns BVMS MRCVS How Burns can help your business........ Call 01554 890482 to fi nd out more