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| Guy with his companion, Glen Coco. |
Should veterinarians be worried about climate change? Dr
Guyan Weerasinghe is one vet who believes we need to be proactive about the
future, and preparing for the impact of climate change on animals is a
priority.
What’s
your day job?
Currently, I am the District Veterinarian for Greater
Sydney Local Land Services (within NSW Department of Trade and Investment). I
used to work for RSPCA NSW and before that I was a dairy veterinarian in NZ. I
also locum occasionally through a company called VetPeople.
What
motivated you to become a vet?
Initially, as a child, it was because I loved animals and
had the usual story of chasing lizards and cats whilst a toddler. Yet, my actual
motivation as an adult was because of the interactions I had with people via
the animals in their life. At some point in the distant past, I was considering
studying medicine after my initial science degree yet I found (and it was
pointed out to me by many of my friends) that I often spent more time talking
with friends about their pets and their health. Yes, there is that aspect of
helping animals and the applications of veterinary science in all its forms,
however the honest answer is that I do this job for the people.
You
are currently the President of the AVA’s Public Health special interest group.
What is it about public health that interests you?
I remember sitting in week 1 of vet school (UQ) and
having Dr Bec Traub give a presentation about zoonoses and the role of bats as
hosts for many viruses. From that point I was hooked and knew that was the path
I wanted to take (admittedly, I was also hooked on dairy medicine as well due
to a great first lecture from Dr Malcolm McLennan, which is probably why I went
into dairy practice after graduating). While I do ramble on about zoonoses, I
am also driven by the “big picture” thinking that comes with public health and
how it covers a wide range of subjects from epidemiology, infectious diseases,
food security and food safety. I consider us the perfect specialty to have
around in the event of a zombie apocalypse.
Terms
like public health evoke thoughts of the health of people. But vets are about
animals. Where is the crossover?
Humans have a strong link with animals – whether it be
through their livelihoods such as being a dairy farmer, a tight bond between a
child and their pet or through our love at seeing wild animals in their natural
habitats. And yet, the social, economical and even physical health of these
people is dependent on these animals being healthy, or aware of the risks that
come with their interaction. Take for example the dairy farmer – we vaccinate
their herd for leptospirosis which will not only be of benefit to the animals
but also the people working with the cattle as well as the people living in
neighbouring properties. A movement many of us within the veterinary public
health sphere have been promoting is “One Health” – the interlinking and
connectedness of animal, human and environmental health. It’s a movement that
seeks to create collaboration between the veterinary, medical and environmental
health practitioners and scientists.
Among
other issues, one of the hot topics in public health is climate change. What
has climate change got to do with veterinary science?
Climate change is a global issue that will likely impact
on areas such as vector-borne diseases, food security, welfare and
biodiversity. If the modelling shows that climatic extremes will either be
larger or longer in duration, then this will have an impact upon the animals we
care for. Veterinarians have a role to play in managing these impacts and
should be engaged with the issue. I see Climate Change as a good example of a
One Health issue.
What
are the things that veterinarians can do to minimise or avoid adverse impacts
of climate change on animal health?
That’s a tough one – I feel that we will mostly be
dealing with the direct impacts of climate change – if there are to be shifts
in agricultural regions or vector geographical distribution, we should be
talking about these risks amongst our clients. Additionally, I feel that we
should provide our collective voice for some actual action in addressing
climate change from the powers that be – I don’t think we should shy away from
being part of the discussion.
How
would you like to see the profession tackle the issue of climate change?
I see Climate Change will likely have an impact on animal
health and welfare. As veterinarians, we pride ourselves as being the
spokespeople on animal health and welfare and I see the need for us to be
engaged and encouraging for meaningful action.
Thanks
Guy. If you’d like to join the facebook discussion group for Australian vets
interested in public health, look here.
Follow Guy on twitter here @GuyWeerasinghe, or look him
up on LinkedIn.
