"Look, Jeremy", the senior officer of a famous British regiment, grabbed me by the arm. "We're breaking our necks trying to win the battle of 'Hearts and Minds' out there. We've built drains and septic tanks, bridges and water systems. But, in Afghanistan, everyone is a livestock farmer - and there are just no vets at all there. I know what SPANA does, and it's just what's needed out there. Can you come and help? Please!"



When I'd recovered from the shock of such a request - and he… Continue

With Jeremy Hulme, SPANA’s CEO, off visiting our projects in Tunisia, this blog is from Simon Pope who oversees SPANA’s Communications Department.

Like many people of my generation, Ethiopia came into my consciousness about 25 years ago with the BBC reports about the drought and then the subsequent Band Aid / Live Aid initiative overseen by Bob Geldof. Now, a quarter of a century later, and with new BBC reports about droughts in the region , many… Continue

Just spoken to Marrakech - he has 'un grand amelioration' - ie he's much better - even sucking milk all on his own now (that's a terrific step forward).



Though apparently, with all this energy, he's making a real nuisance of himself, bouncing around and getting into mischief all over the place - knocking over the vet's trays while they're trying to work on other animals. But of course everyone has fallen for him - especially the two girl volunteers. But with ears like that, who… Continue

Firstly, thanks for all your messages of support for the team in Marrakech who are helping Tommy pull through.



Tommy is making huge progress, as you can see from the photos - he's still not sucking, hence the bandage round his nose holding the nasal-gastric tube in place - saves having to do the risky process of inserting/removing the tube every two hours. Alex (the girl in the photos) is a veterinary graduate from Cambridge - she's one of the volunteers getting very little sleep… Continue

Hurrah, hurrah, he's doing well. The temperature/pneumonia worry is always there, but touch wood, he's fine at the moment. Still being fed by nasal-gastric tube, every two hours, day and night, but he's getting stronger every day.



They hope that soon he will develop a proper sucking reflex, but of course nobody knows just how premature he might be. Sucking is much better for the digestion than a stomach tube - all the wee scrap's 'systems' will work better.



But he is… Continue