The relationship between farmers and their livestock is neither simple nor static. For farmers and farming communities, herds of cattle or flocks of sheep, chickens and turkeys are not only a source of income but are an ongoing part of their lives, often leading to a blurring of the socially constructed categories of ‘livestock’ and ‘pet.’ In the event of a farm-animal epidemic, the normal cycle of human-animal relations is disrupted, and the incident can have devastating effects on the farmer, the veterinarian, and the community.
In this webinar, you will learn about:
the common farm-animal epidemics impacting Alberta farms,
what depopulation is and why it is used,
the current state of depopulation in Western Canada, and
research examining the mental health impact of depopulation on farmers and veterinarians.
There will also be time for a Q+A at the end of the webinar.
This webinar is designed to increase knowledge of the current farm-specific stressors and resilience factors and develop therapeutic treatment approaches that work for farmers currently dealing with livestock depopulation.