Polly Rathbone, a member of BEVA’s Sustainability Working Group, discusses the impacts of climate change now becoming evident in the UK:
West Sussex (where I currently live and work), along with much of the UK, has just announced a drought, and a consequential hosepipe ban is looking imminent. Now, I won’t be telling clients not to be using theirs (fearing this could result in an enteral fluid administration relay effort and an electrolyte shortage to boot). However, this topic (along with the state of the brown dust we once called grass) is one that is brought up at nearly every yard visit. For the first time, the effects of climate change are directly challenging the daily lives of the equine and veterinary communities in the UK.
Pessimistically, neither of these communities are known for their eco-conscious attitudes and initiatives, and it saddens me that it has taken this long for many to reflect on this issue while many less fortunate communities have endured extremes for years, despite these consequences having been predicted for longer than I have been alive.
Aside from the anecdotal increase in dehydrated equids with colic, there will be a wide range of issues to combat in this new world of extreme weather. How will the impeding recession impact the ability of many horse owners to buy hay this winter as the cost of basic feedstuffs soar when stock is limited and late cuts non-existent? Will owners look to cheaper processed alternatives with higher carbon footprint? Might sporting competitions become less accessible at the lower levels when the ability to soften the ground isn’t financially viable?
Environmental sustainability goes hand in hand with anthelminthic and antimicrobial sustainability, animal welfare, and food production to list but a few; whilst climate change is not the only issue faced by the profession, this extreme weather should act as a call to arms for us all. Regardless of which way it is spun, change is on our doorstep.