Read the latest updates and messages from Veterinarians Without Borders.
This story profiles Donatha Anyinkamiye, Executive Secretary of Tare Sector, whose leadership and advocacy are helping COHERS turn One Health awareness into lasting, community-led change in Rwanda.
In this edition of Ask an Expert, we connected with Dave Shuey, a Veterinary Social Worker with IndeVets, about the growing field of veterinary social work and how innovative practice models can help bring balance, fulfilment, and sustainability back to veterinary medicine.
#VETSVolunteerVoices brings you stories of our passionate VETS program volunteers from the field. Meet Grace Friesen, an Animal Health Advisor who spent three months in Kenya (May–August 2025) with our local partner, Meru Dairy, helping farmers improve herd health and milk production while learning firsthand how knowledge exchange can strengthen entire communities.
Josephine Mukagasana’s story shows how Community Hygiene Clubs are transforming health and confidence across rural Rwanda—empowering families to embrace handwashing, hygiene, and shared responsibility through the COHERS program’s One Health approach.
Louise Mukarugwiza’s journey from community health worker to One Health Team member highlights the transformative impact of COHERS, empowering women to prevent disease, promote gender equality, and build healthier communities in Rwanda.
In this edition of Ask an Expert, we connected with Dr. Naima Jutha, Wildlife Veterinarian and Chief Veterinary Officer for the Government of the Northwest Territories. Based in Yellowknife, Dr. Jutha leads the Wildlife Health Program within the Department of Environment and Climate Change, monitoring and responding to emerging health threats among northern wildlife populations.
This field report from Cambodia shares the impacts observed by VWB’s Senior Program Manager, Katia Major, highlighting how the AGROW and VETS programs are empowering women, improving livelihoods, and strengthening communities through climate-smart farming, sustainable livestock and insect production, and One Health practices.
#VETSVolunteerVoices brings you stories of our passionate VETS program volunteers from the field. Meet Méli-Jade Léveillé-Blais, an Animal Health Advisor who spent three months in Kenya (May–August 2025) with our local partner, Meru Dairy, training farmers, building local leadership, and strengthening community resilience through better dairy practices.
The Patron Pet Center in Kyiv has grown from a handful of kennels into one of Ukraine’s most advanced animal welfare facilities, providing care for injured and abandoned animals from frontline areas. They recently unveiled a new cat wing offering veterinary care, socialization, and adoption support. We spoke with former director Iryna Podvoyska about the center’s growth, challenges, and vision for the future.
To mark World Rabies Day (September 28), VWB has teamed up with six animal health partners across Canada, and with one on-the-ground partner in Ukraine, to host free animal vaccination clinics aimed at halting the spread of rabies and other preventable diseases. VWB is also hosting a free rabies-focused webinar on Sept. 29.
#VETSVolunteerVoices brings you stories of our passionate VETS program volunteers from the field. Meet Maddalena Jacobson, an Animal Health Advisor who spent three months in Kenya (May–August 2025) with our local partner, Wakulima Dairy, strengthening dairy management practices and supporting women farmers to build more resilient livelihoods.
Watch a replay of our World Rabies Day webinar which explored how One Health approaches are driving change, shared practical insights from the frontlines of rabies prevention, and highlighted how local efforts are contributing to the global goal of ending human rabies deaths by 2030.
#VETSVolunteerVoices brings you stories of our passionate volunteers from the field. Meet Dayo Olaniyan, a Gender Advisor who spent three months in Ghana (May–August 2025) with our local partner, GAPNET, strengthening gender equity in livestock production and empowering rural communities.
In this edition of Ask an Expert, we connected with Dr. Richard Rusk, a public health physician and clinician who grew up in South Africa and is now based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. With expertise in the epidemiology of infectious and vector-borne diseases, he brings both human and animal clinical experience, along with a systems-level perspective, to addressing challenges facing communities in Canada and around the world.
#VETSVolunteerVoices brings you stories of our passionate VETS program volunteers from the field. This blog was written by Kayla Williams, a Veterinary Student and Animal Health Advisor who supported our VETS partner, the Apex Body of Women in Poultry Value Chain (WIPVaC-Apex), in Ghana from May to August 2025.
VWB wrapped up its fifth Animals & Ales Pet Photo Fundraiser Contest in partnership with six breweries.
This article examines why integrating One Health into humanitarian response is essential for protecting lives, livelihoods, and ecosystems. Drawing on VWB’s experience in Myanmar, South Sudan, and Ukraine, it highlights how addressing animal health, livelihoods, and environmental stability from the outset of a crisis strengthens resilience, prevents zoonotic disease, and supports sustainable recovery in vulnerable communities.
VWB welcomes Janine Mitchell as its new Executive Director, bringing over 20 years of global health and One Health leadership across 30+ countries. As she works alongside outgoing ED Charmaine Brett during the transition, Janine is poised to guide VWB into its next chapter—advancing its mission and 2025–2030 Strategic Plan to improve lives, protect livelihoods, and strengthen communities worldwide.
VWB is launching its second Animals & Ales Pet Photo Fundraiser Contest of 2025, which will unite pet lovers and craft beer enthusiasts across the U.S. and Canada
#VETSVolunteerVoices aims to bring you the stories of our passionate VETS program volunteers from the field. Meet Elise Tessier, an Epidemiology Advisor who spent 10 weeks in Cambodia (March–May 2025) supporting a zoonotic disease risk reduction project with our local partner, AVSF Cambodia.
#VETSVolunteerVoices brings you inspiring stories from the field, showcasing the impactful work of our dedicated VETS program volunteers. Meet Dr. Riley Bauman (DVM), an Animal Health Advisor who spent two months in Kenya (April–June 2025), working alongside smallholder dairy farmers and Meru Dairy staff to promote animal health, gender equity, and sustainable livelihoods.
This article explores the persistent threat of anthrax and the critical need for community-led surveillance in preventing zoonotic outbreaks. It highlights how VWB’s One Health approach—through the COHERS program, CAHW training, and gender-responsive outreach—strengthens local capacity to detect and manage neglected diseases, protecting both human and animal health in vulnerable communities.
#VETSVolunteerVoices aims to bring you stories of our passionate VETS program volunteers from the field. This blog was written by Guy Audet, a Business Development Advisor who supported our VETS program partner, WIPVaC-Apex, in Ghana from March to May 2025.
In Meru County, Kenya, Community One Health Champion Ann Kagwira is improving her farm’s productivity and herd health through ongoing collaboration with VETS volunteers and Meru Dairy — demonstrating how long-term support and continuous learning can drive lasting change for farmers and their communities.
As VWB’s Executive Director, Charmaine Brett, prepares to step down in September, she reflects on four years of transformative global work, celebrating milestones in animal care, community resilience, and One Health initiatives. With its bold 2025–2030 Strategic Plan, VWB remains committed to advancing its mission and recruiting new leadership to build on this momentum.
When Hannah Liao, a Master of Science student at the Ontario Veterinary College, traveled to Gjoa Haven with Veterinarians Without Borders, she brought more than just research; she brought a vision for sustainable, community-led veterinary care. Her thesis on Community Animal Health Worker programs explores how local training and a One Health approach can transform access to animal health services in Canada’s North.
As wildfires displace families across Manitoba and other areas of Canada, Veterinarians Without Borders North America is stepping in to ensure animals aren't left behind. Working with over 10 partner organizations, VWB is coordinating emergency shelters, veterinary care, and food deliveries—already supporting more than 650 animals in affected communities.
#VETSVolunteerVoices aims to bring you the stories of our passionate VETS program volunteers from the field. Meet Ian Parfitt, a GIS Mapping Advisor who spent three months in Cambodia (January–April 2025) supporting organic agriculture and digital transformation with our local partner, AVSF Cambodia.
Megan Sylka, Senior Program Officer at VWB, shares how her recent visit to Kenya revealed the powerful ripple effects of the VETS program—highlighting how Community One Health Champion Shelmith Mwai is transforming her dairy farm, her family dynamics, and her community through knowledge, leadership, and collaboration.
This article examines how a One Health approach can transform food safety systems by addressing the interconnected health of people, animals, and the environment—highlighting the importance of cross-sector collaboration, innovations like Canada’s CFSIN, and global strategies to mitigate risks such as antimicrobial resistance, climate change, and zoonotic disease.
VWB announces the upcoming departure of Executive Director Charmaine Brett, who will step down in September after four years of visionary leadership. As Charmaine begins a new chapter, VWB remains grounded in its mission and Strategic Plan—continuing to lead global One Health efforts that improve lives, protect livelihoods, and strengthen communities.
Across war-torn regions in Ukraine the destruction stretches for kilometres. Homes are reduced to rubble, communities have been displaced, and many animals, often the forgotten victims of war, are left to fend for themselves in dangerous, unstable conditions. With your help, along with our local partners, we can ensure that help is there for animals that need it most.
Watch a replay of our World Environment Day 2025 webinar which showcased the voices of VWB’s VETS volunteers working alongside local partners to advance climate-smart agriculture, ecosystem restoration, and One Health solutions. The panelists shared community-led approaches, environmental challenges, and practical innovations from Cambodia, Kenya, and Laos.
From climate-resilient farming to women-led food systems, this impact report explores the achievements of the AGROW program in rural Cambodia. Implemented by VWB from 2022 to 2024 and funded by Global Affairs Canada, AGROW empowered over 21,000 individuals—primarily women—through sustainable agriculture, animal health services, and a holistic One Health approach.
This blog shares firsthand accounts from VWB’s earthquake response in Myanmar, highlighting how local partners are delivering urgent care to people and animals alike, and demonstrating the impact of a locally led, One Health approach in the midst of a humanitarian crisis.
This article explores the critical importance of integrating animal welfare into disaster preparedness, drawing on current research, offering practical strategies, and highlighting how VWB’s One Health initiatives build resilience by strengthening animal health systems and safeguarding livelihoods before and after disasters strike.
This article explores how VWB’s goat farming and cheese-making initiative in Ukraine supported rural families in rebuilding livelihoods during conflict—highlighting sustainable agriculture, community-led training, and a replicable model for economic resilience.
VWB congratulates Prime Minister Mark Carney on his election victory, emphasizing the importance of continued leadership on global One Health challenges, and reaffirming its commitment to strengthening animal health, food security, and resilient communities worldwide.
This article explores the diverse and often underrecognized roles of veterinarians within a One Health framework, highlighting how their work in animal health, food safety, wildlife conservation, and climate adaptation strengthens communities, safeguards ecosystems, and supports global health resilience.
This article examines the vital role of veterinarians in immunization and disease prevention, highlighting how VWB’s One Health approach — through vaccination campaigns, CAHW training, and real-time disease surveillance — protects public health, supports farmer livelihoods, and strengthens animal health systems in vulnerable communities.
This story profiles Donatha Anyinkamiye, Executive Secretary of Tare Sector, whose leadership and advocacy are helping COHERS turn One Health awareness into lasting, community-led change in Rwanda.
In this edition of Ask an Expert, we connected with Dave Shuey, a Veterinary Social Worker with IndeVets, about the growing field of veterinary social work and how innovative practice models can help bring balance, fulfilment, and sustainability back to veterinary medicine.
#VETSVolunteerVoices brings you stories of our passionate VETS program volunteers from the field. Meet Grace Friesen, an Animal Health Advisor who spent three months in Kenya (May–August 2025) with our local partner, Meru Dairy, helping farmers improve herd health and milk production while learning firsthand how knowledge exchange can strengthen entire communities.
