NEWS FEED
One of the country’s leading experts on animal rescue met with royal approval when he talked Princess Anne through the work taking place in Hampshire.
Jim Green, from Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, gave a speech on the initiative at the organisation’s 130th anniversary ceremony, covering new techniques and challenging cases, last month.
The Animal Rescue team work with The Horse Trust to provide emergency responders with specialist equine handling training courses.
The princess, The Horse Trust’s patron, then spoke to the team and looked at photos of some of the more difficult rescues they had carried out.
The Princess Royal referenced the fire service’s work several times as she addressed the 150-strong audience of dignitaries and special guests in Speen, Buckinghamshire.
Watch Manager Green, from Lyndhurst Fire Station, said: “I have met the princess a few times now and I feel I know her quite well, so we just had a natter.
“She is pretty savvy about what we do and acutely aware of the issues surrounding animal welfare.
“She was particularly interested in Spencer, the horse we rescued after it went through the floor of its box, and on future developments.
“It is great to have this link.”
He has previously met the princess when she launched the emergency services protocol, regarding working with vets, at Buckingham Palace in 2007.
In 2008, the pair met again in the British Horse Society tent at the Hickstead showjumping course, in West Sussex. She then championed the 2009 British Cattle Veterinary Association Congress where Watch Manager Green was a speaker.
As part of the ongoing work to champion animal rescue at a national level the specialism is being included in the UKRO challenge to be held next month in Hampshire.
