Veterinarians See Heifer's Human-Animal Interaction on Study Tour

"What do you name your goats?" the women of an Indian coastal village, which was all but destroyed by the 2005 Tsunami, asked the veterinarians participating in Heifer's recent Study Tour to Southeast Asia.

The question offers a revealing look at the strong interaction between Heifer participants and their animals. From their prominent place in Hindu history to being "part of the family" in contemporary life, animals are revered and well-cared for in these small Indian and Nepalese villages.

"In Nepal and India, people and animals may sleep in the same building, sometimes on the same bed for warmth," said Dr. Terry Wollen, Heifer's Director of Animal Well-Being. "When animals die, some people cry as much as if a human died."

Wollen explained that, unlike large-scale farms in the industrialized world where human contact with livestock is limited, the survival of people living in developing nations depends heavily on their interaction with animals.

That's why Heifer provides high-quality livestock and training and extension services to every community involved in an animal or agriculture project. Before any animal is received, families must attend training sessions covering everything from the basic principles of Heifer's work to techniques that will minimize their animals' impact on the environment. Through this, participant families are already improving their animals':

Housing
Management
Breeding
Nutrition
Veterinary health
Environmental impact

Before they even receive a single four-footed creature!

Families also must build sheds and zero-grazing facilities - airy pens with elevated floors that keep animals with destructive grazing habits, like goats, out of valuable crops - before receiving an animal. Sometimes farmers also plant trees and grasses, which will be used to feed the new animals.

With all this training and care on the front end, it's no wonder Heifer animals become vital parts of family activities without burdening farm resources. It's also easier for family members, who may not have held many responsibilities before, to go on to receive veterinary training that can aid their communities, further improve their finances and raise their self-esteem.

Fourteen months after the tsunami hit, Wollen said the veterinarian team "saw in village after village that Heifer's longer-term, values-based training approach resulted in tremendous unification of the community members. They're working together to learn, rebuild and develop new communities out of the remains left by the big waves," he added.  

They're ready for solid development - the kind Heifer offers - to move into their lives - one animal at a time.