Devon charity CEO urges public to recognise roles of working animals

Devon's Linda Edwards, CEO Animal Welfare Charity, Working Animals International, underscores the need for greater public awareness regarding the roles that working animals continue to play globally.

Despite being integral to numerous tasks, new research of 2,000 Brits reveals a significant knowledge gap, with 41 percent admitting they rarely consider animals performing work.

The study by Working Animals International found nearly half of Brits perceive animals working alongside humans as mostly outdated, yet animals remain invaluable across various fields such as transportation, detection, and land maintenance.

Examples of animals supporting humans include camels transporting goods and people, dolphins detecting undersea explosives, and goats clearing land to prevent wildfires.

Linda Edwards highlights the necessity of ensuring proper care and recognition for these animals, as nearly 79 percent of respondents were unaware of horses being used to take children to school, and 77 percent were uninformed about donkeys serving as informal ambulances.

She believes the hard work of the animals needs to be recognised by society, as without their contribution the younger generation could of been impacted:

"Girls probably wouldn't be going to school, they'd be carrying water. Young boys would probably be working in fields doing agriculture, rather than learning. "

Edwards calls for governments worldwide to include working animals in their census, addressing the lack of data that hinders welfare efforts.

With 64 percent of respondents acknowledging the UK's tendency to underestimate the work animals do for humans, Edwards believes raising awareness is critical for acknowledging the immense contributions of these animals.

She emphasises the importance of maintaining records and recognising their involvement in tasks such as construction support, detection, sensing work, and therapeutic roles, to guarantee their protection and welfare globally, just as the UK does.

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