Livestock Bridges to Community Development & Livestock Emergency Guidelines - Peter Quesenberry, D.VM.

Speaker Bio: Peter Quesenberry first served in rural Nepal where Peter co-founded the training program for animal health workers. He also taught veterinary technicians in the government technical school in a very remote area in the Himalayas. After 10 years, he moved to Laos for a community health work where he worked closely with the govern- ment; he then returned to Nepal for about 5 years. In 1997, Peter moved to Bangkok, Thailand, where he served as the Asia Director for World Concern in the regional office. Peter is the co-author of Where There is No Animal Doctor (which is available in 7 languages so far), the textbook for training veterinary technicians in Nepal, and other publications. Currently, Peter works in Chiang Rai, Thailand, where he helped establish an animal health-training program and works as a mentor in leadership with the Mekong Minority Foundation, a Christian organization serving to build the capacity of tribal minority communities.

Abstract: This talk will explore the idea that for many people in many cultures, their animals are very dear to their hearts. The role of livestock and community development workers is to work with the villagers to help them take better care of their livestock, which is when the relationship between workers and villagers is built. These relationships that result alsoprovide new opportunities to talk about other subjects, including peace with neighboring ethnic groups, growing better crops in general, mother-child health care, as well as other subjects. In this way, animals serve as a bridge into peoples’ hearts and into communities.