Saturday April 24th 2021 it’s World Veterinary Day; a moment to celebrate the important work that AAP’s veterinarians and animal caretakers perform every single day to improve and sustain the health of our animals. On this international day, we also want to thank the veterinarians of the Royal Dutch Veterinary Association (KNMvD) for their support for the Positive List for pets.
p>Every single day, AAP’s veterinarians and caretakers tend to the animals in our rescue center with the utmost love and care. They work tirelessly to improve our animals’ health and well-being. Many of the animals we rescue have had a difficult past as a pet or circus animal, which in many instances has led to serious health issues. At AAP, the health and welfare of these animals becomes top priority again; whether the animal on their treatment table is a serval with bone deformations, a raccoon with roundworm, a traumatized monkey, or a lion without teeth. The Royal Dutch Veterinary Association (KNMvD) supports the Positive ListOn World Veterinary Day, we also celebrate the fact that the veterinarians of the Royal Dutch Veterinary Association (KNMvD) have spoken out in favor of the Positive List. In their Position Paper, the KNMvD expresses in no uncertain terms that not all animals are suitable to be kept as pets and that the Positive List is needed to protect public health and safety, as well as animal health and welfare. A clear message from our country’s animal health professionals.
A widely supported instrumentWe are extremely pleased that the experts of the KNMvD have expressed their full support for the Positive List. This shows yet again that the Positive List is a widely embraced instrument. There has been strong political support in the Netherlands for many years and Dutch citizens are overwhelmingly in favor of the Positive List. An opinion poll by Ipsos commissioned by the AAP Foundation showed that 77% of Dutch people think that exotic animals should not be kept as pets and that 82% of Dutch people think that the trade in exotic animals should be better regulated. The veterinary community, including the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe and the Royal Dutch Veterinary Association, also rallies behind the Positive List. The Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, which is working on the development of the Positive List for mammals, can therefore feel strengthened in their cause: Dutch citizens, experts and politicians are all eagerly awaiting this list!
