Flying fox numbers are considered to be declining and some species are even classified as vulnerable to extinction. The reason we may now be more aware of flying foxes is due to the destruction of their natural habitat through urban development. This results in flying foxes moving into any vegetation…
There are three important reasons to vaccinate your horse against Hendra virus. First, vaccination reduces the risk of your horse contracting Hendra virus (HeV), a serious and life-threatening disease. Unvaccinated horses with the disease either suffer a debilitating and distressing death or if diagnosed, are euthanased. Vaccination helps to provide…
Hunting poses many welfare risks including injury, pain and distress, especially for a species like deer as they are highly sensitive and will panic easily if disturbed. The most humane way to kill a deer is not to alarm or chase them and to use a firearm for an accurate…
No, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander hunters must comply with the laws relating to animal cruelty in all states and territories. Prior to 2012, in Queensland, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were exempt from animal cruelty laws in accordance with Aboriginal tradition or Islander custom under the Queensland Animal…
Horses naturally live in herds and a normal horse is never alone by choice. These facts drive the behaviour of horses and cause them to do some of the things that can seem irrational to us – such as panic if they get separated from other horses. Living as part…
Horses require lots of daily exercise because they are essentially grazing athletes. When you own a horse you need to know that exercise is a very important part of caring for a horse. It is not acceptable to keep horses confined in yards or stables without providing lots of opportunities…
Grooming should be undertaken as part of your routine horse care. Basic grooming involves brushing the whole of the body in the direction of the hair growth to remove mud and dust, and also picking out the feet. As well as making sure your horse does not have any dirt/grit…
All horses must have access to clean drinking water 24 hours a day. Horses should always be provided with more water than they need so that there is no risk of them not getting enough to drink. How much water does my horse actually need? An average 500kg (approximately 15hh)…
To answer this question we first need to know how a healthy horse looks and behaves. What are the signs of a healthy horse? The normal behaviour of individual horses varies to some extent so it is important that you know what is normal for your horse as well as…
Understanding at least basic horse behaviour is a very important part of responsible horse ownership. A good understanding of horse behaviour underpins all aspects of good horse management, training and riding. The key points that should always be remembered about horses are: Horses are highly social herd animals Horses are…