Wendy House Project
In recent years the team has observed increased level of interest from people keeping livestock in non-farming environments often including back gardens in residential areas.
We have received numerous requests for advice and guidance on the do’s and don’ts of keeping livestock alongside with referrals from the Environmental Health Officers who attended premises where farmed animals were kept.
To address the newly emerged trend, in November 2011, we launched an innovative project ‘Wendy House’ as an initiative to focus bespoke education and advice towards those people who were seeking to have traditionally farmed animals as pets or who were seeking to choose to live the ‘good life’.
During the project we worked in partnership with local Environmental Health departments of Cannock Chase District Council, Stafford Borough Council, Newcastle under Lyme Borough Council, South Staffordshire Council, East Staffordshire Borough Council, Lichfield District Council, Tamworth Borough Council, Staffordshire Moorlands District Council.
We also teamed up with Staffordshire Smallholders Association who contributed to the project with their experience and practical knowledge on keeping livestock.
RSPCA Innovator Award 2012
Wendy House Project was announced the winner in the RSPCA's Innovator in Animal Welfare Award 2012 for demonstrating an innovative approach to its work in improving animal welfare. For more information about the award please follow link to the RSPCA Political Animal website|.
Guidance
Guidance produced within the project can be accessed below:
Quick Reference Guide - all species:
Farm Animals - Responsibilities to Consider| (PDF)
Seminars
A part of the project was a series of locally held, free of charge seminars under the title “Farm Animals in Your Back Garden?” We delivered five seminars this year - in Stafford, Alrewas, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Leek and Codsall.
Subjects featured:
-
Animal Welfare and the Five Freedoms
-
Registration, Identification and Records of Your Livestock
-
Farm Animals from Environmental Health Point of View
-
Animal Diseases and Biosecurity
-
So you want to be a smallholder
For more information please email animal.health@staffordshire.gov.uk| or call 01785 277875 and ask for Blanka or Steph.
-
-
-
-