Horse Charity Gets Veterinary Booster

A hard-working equine charity in Co Antrim has been given 'official' recognition for its work.

Crosskennan Lane Animal Sanctuary (C.L.A.S.) has recently been awarded the North of Ireland Veterinary Association (NIVA) Award for Animal Welfare.

During an awards ceremony held in Galgorm Manor NIVA President, Brian McAuley (pictured left) said: "C.L.A.S. was one of a number of very worthy nominations, but ultimately secured the award by a unanimous vote from NIVA councillors."

He explained that the NIVA award was founded as a way of showing that vets don't just advise on disease prevention and treatment, but also are well-placed to recognise outstanding achievements in animal care by others with the new NIVA Animal Welfare Award acknowledging the outstanding work carried out by individuals and organisations in this field.

In this, its first year, the Award was presented to Crosskennan Lane Animal Sanctuary which stood out, in particular for its work on equine welfare, a sector in which it is currently the only independent charitable organisation operating in Northern Ireland.

Lyn Friel, founder of CLAS commented: "It is a true honour to receive such a prestigious award and to gain professional and public recognition for the work that we do on a daily basis, both in and outside of the sanctuary. Our aim is to relieve the suffering and distress of animals in need of care and protection by reason of sickness, neglect or maltreatment, by establishing and maintaining a sanctuary for such animals," she said.

Founded in 1982 by Lyn Friel who is the orgnaistion's General Manager, it continues to bring about improvements in the welfare of a huge number of animals, mainly horses and ponies but also dogs, cats, rabbits and even chickens.

Lyn said she is supported in this by Chairperson Janice Watt (both shown accepting the award) and a dedicated team of volunteers they bring considerable expertise to the welfare sector in Northern Ireland.

C.L.A.S., based just outside Antrim, has accommodation for approximately 40 horses on-site, admitting needy animals for recuperation, rehabilitation and all necessary veterinary attention, before seeking a new permanent home for them with approved owners.

Between 10 and 20 of those horses admitted each year are re-homed, but demand frequently exceeds available places, so Crosskennan also operates a register for horses in need of homes.

Crosskennan established a working relationship with Redwings Horse Sanctuary almost 10 years ago and Redwings assists by providing places at their site in Norfolk for horses to be admitted from Crosskennan whenever capacity is reached - on average 10 horses are transferred annually in this way.

Janice and Lyn are also involved in educating the public and raising the profile of equine welfare issues.

One such initiative this year involved a highly visible presence at the Auld Lammas Fair, distributing Codes of Practice, free buckets to ensure all animals had access to fresh drinking water and exchanging baler-twine halters for comfortable head-collars.

They continue to liaise with other stakeholders and interested bodies to establish a more 'joined up' approach to equine welfare concerns.

See: www.crosskennanlane.org.uk

(BMcC/GK)