Kiwi Care Team

NZ-based charitable trust, dedicated to improving the welfare of the world's 100 million plus working equids (horses, donkeys, mules)

International

Kiwi Care Team (KCT) is a New Zealand based group of volunteer vets, nurses, equine dentists, farriers and horse trainers, who are providing education and first aid to working animals in need around the world.

Our main focus is education and we are committed to providing this to communities that rely on working animals in order to ensure welfare standards are raised. This means training local people in husbandry, engaging stakeholders in the community and teaching in schools.

In the long-term, this results in improved owner knowledge, attitude and ultimately changed behaviour. Improved animal health has the potential to improve productivity and to enhance human welfare by reducing poverty and supporting sustainable livelihoods.

Having visited some of the poorest parts of the world (in India and Africa), KCT is now focusing on our own 'back yard', the South Pacific, where large populations of working horses support very poor communities, and have no access to veterinary care or advice. KCT desperately needs funding to continue the valuable work done by these volunteer professionals from the NZ equine industry, and amongst other projects, to employ a local Fijian welfare officer/teacher. We collaborate with the Fijian Ministry of Agriculture and the NGO 'AnimalsFiji'. Our long-term vision is that Fiji’s community becomes self-reliant as a result of successful, sustainable businesses thriving in its rural equine industry.

More about us

Kiwi Care Team (KCT) is a group of volunteer professionals from the NZ horse industry, who came together in 2011 with the shared vision of making a change to the welfare of working animals in poor countries. Largely self-funded, the group have used their skills to make a significant impact in target areas in Egypt, India and the South Pacific.

More recently KCT has focused its resources on Fiji's main island (Viti Levi), where it is estimated that 80,000 working horses support subsistence communities, through transport and draught power. Within this population KCT has identified some serious welfare concerns such as severe mouth lesions (rope or wire bits), back wounds (inappropriate saddles/padding), tetanus (preventable by vaccination) and informal healing (e.g. firing and amateur castration). With your donation, Kiwi Care can continue to educate these people, improve their husbandry and treat their animals.

KCT Trustees:

Dr Stuart Gordon (Senior Lecturer in Equine Medicine at Massey University)

Chloe Phillips Harris (Accomplished horse trainer & adventure journalist)

Dr Pat Sells (Equine Veterinarian)

Dr Lotte Cantley (Equine Veterinarian)

If you think you can help with any aspect of KCT's mission, especially in the realms of fundraising, please contact KCT's administrator Nanette Felton (nanette@kiwicareteam.co.nz) or visit our website. Even hitting 'Like' on our Facebook page will help our momentum.