New Website Coming For The Bella Moss Foundation

1st November 2010 will see The Bella Moss Foundation launch a completely redesigned website www.thebellamossfoundation.com that will provide a unique online resource for veterinary professionals, pet owners and carers. A hugely successful preview took place on October 22nd at the British Veterinary Association headquarters in London and was attended by a large group of vets and pet owners. Professor David Lloyd with Harvey Locke and delegates at the BVA launch 22nd October 2010 David Lloyd, Professor of Veterinary Dermatology at the Royal Veterinary College, said: “There has been a worrying increase in the numbers of pets reported with MRSA Infections. The causes for this seem to be complex, and research to understand this emerging infection in animals and people is continuing. The Bella Moss Foundation has been very helpful in explaining to pet owners the complexity of these issues, and the new Animal MRSA Support Service will be an educational tool for lay people and veterinarians to learn more about resistant bacterial infections in animals> MRSA is not the only bug threatening the health of pets, and infection control is the key to saving lives. For pet owners and carers the Animal MRSA Support Service will provide education on different bacteria, the risk factors for transmission between people and animals, how to keep pets healthy, finding a vet, and the importance of hand hygiene in protecting pets and people from unwanted infection. For veterinary professionals and practice staff the service will also provide academic reports and international research, as well as information on CPD seminars. Mr. Harvey Locke President of the British Veterinary Association introduced the preview by welcoming The BMF by saying; “MRSA is a very distressing disease whether it’s a person or animal that is infected, and it’s a very complex problem. That is why education is so important.” He went on to congratulate Jill Moss, President of The Foundation, for the effort and work that has gone into preparing this new website. Commenting on the European perspective, he noted that there is mounting pressure from the Commission in Brussels to restrict the use of some antibiotics. He said while this was motivated by a desire to combat resistance, antibiotics made an essential contribution to veterinary care, and the veterinary profession needed to use them responsibly. The new website will have a Find a Vet page, and Mr. Locke said that there was real benefit in encouraging pet owners to ask questions of veterinary practices when making a choice. He went on to add that the panel of clinical advisors helping The Foundation had made important information available to vets through its programme of Continuing Professional Development seminars. Mr. Locke wished The Bella Moss Foundation every success in raising awareness of the range of resistant pathogens affecting companion animals. Vets, pet owners and animal welfare organisations attended the preview, including PDSA, Celia Hammond Trust, Wood Green Animal Shelter, Akita Rescue and Guide Dogs for the Blind. Peter Jinmen President of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons also attended as did representatives from DEFRA’s antimicrobial resistance committee on MRSA In animals. Christine Ross, whose dog Freya has recovered from MRSA, spoke about how much The Foundation had helped her and Freya during their difficult time. “If it wasn’t for Jill, Freya would not be alive today.” She said. “I telephoned her on her birthday and she was so helpful in the support she gave and in putting our vets in touch with her veterinary experts” BMF thank Dr Tim Nuttall (University of Liverpool), Dr Scott Weese (University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada), Professor David Lloyd and Annette Leoffler (Royal Veterinary College), Tracy Mayne (Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons), and all of the team at (Simba Solutions). In speaking at the launch, Jill Moss said “At last we have a website we can be proud of. It will offer up-to-date information on clinical issues and help support people and pets with resistant bacterial infections. The Foundation has broadened its focus now, because there are a number of resistant pathogens emerging that have the potential to be more devastating than MRSA. The key keys to overcoming them are infection control, early detection of infections and responsible antibiotics use. If these are used wisely we can prevent the lives of our companion pets and other animals being lost unnecessarily.” The pre-launch at the BVA was sponsored by Medichem International, Idexx Veterinary Laboratories and Pfeizer. Jill Moss gave a special thanks to Simba Solutions for their contribution to the website design and content. BMF welcomes comments and feedback from everyone looking at the website please email [email protected]

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