Founded in 1942 as the “Veterinary Education Trust” by Walter Reginald Wooldridge, the Animal Health Trust (AHT) was an independent charity based in Kentford, Newmarket, UK. The AHT focused on the research and treatment of diseases in companion animals (cats, dogs, horses, etc.), and to promote veterinary arts and sciences.
At its peak, the organization employed more than 200 vets, scientists, and support staff, and was awarded a Royal Charter in 1963. As a non-profit, AHT did not receive government funding. Under financial duress in the pandemic of 2020, the charity ended its operations and its assets were liquidated.
The AHT’s primary activities were:
- Advancing post-graduation education in the veterinary sciences
- Improving the knowledge, technology, execution of the diagnosis, prevention, and cure of disease
- Providing clinical referral services for veterinary practitioners
Education, Research, and Veterinary Services
The organization was essentially grouped into three main categories: education, research, and veterinary services, which could be combined for maximum efficiency.
Education
The AHT was all about advancing education and post-graduate training, and its clinics offered internship and residency training programs. The Continuous Professional Development (CPD) program was considered the pinnacle of its educational objectives.
The organization also published research and clinical findings that were simultaneously hosted on its own open-access library. AHT’s now-defunct website also published important news updates relevant to its charter.
Research
Research was focused on a pair of key areas: infectious and inherited diseases. Infectious diseases included bacteriology, equine epidemiology, immunology, virology, and surveillance. Inherited disease research included genetics, oncology, and stem cell research.
See also: How to Calm Your Cat Before and at the Vet
Veterinary Services
The Animal Health Trust’s veterinary clinics provided referral services to small animal and equine veterinarians. It had two centers with active clinical research programs: the Centre for Small Animal Studies and the Centre for Equine Studies. It also offered diagnostic laboratories and DNA testing services. Both clinics were essential to AHTs educational mission, coordinating diagnostics and DNA testing services with research teams to advance developments. All of these initiatives were driven by the AHT’s fundraising and support teams (e.g., management, finance, information technology, human resources, and property maintenance).
Final Thoughts: Fundraising Issues in a Pandemic
According to the Animal Health Trust’s Wikipedia page, the charity was forced into liquidation because of fundraising limitations during the Coronavirus pandemic of 2020. It’s genuinely unfortunate that such a noble organization doing so much to improve the well-being of our beloved pets was forced into closing its doors.
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