Winchester MP Danny Chambers examining a donkey
Winchester MP returns to animal Charity In Morocco where He Trained As A Vet
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Winchester MP Danny Chambers has visited working animal charity SPANA’s centre in Marrakech, Morocco, where he did an internship as a young vet in 2009.
Danny has been the Liberal Democrat MP for Winchester since 2024. Before entering politics, he was a practising vet and served on the Council of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. As a vet, Danny has also worked in Gambia, India, Iraq, New Zealand and many parts of the UK.
On Friday, 23 January 2026, Danny returned to the centre where he spent two months as a newly graduated vet, to meet the team and the working animals in their care. Danny Chambers MP said:
“It was fantastic to return to SPANA’s Marrakech centre after 16 years and see so many familiar faces, which really shows the team’s dedication. My placement as a young vet in Morocco was one of the most formative experiences of my life. I saw firsthand how essential working animals, such as horses, donkeys, and mules, are to their communities.”
As a vet and MP, Danny is an advocate for improvements in animal welfare. He champions One Health, having spoken in Parliament about the approach on multiple occasions - recognising that animal, human and environmental health are inseparable. Danny believes that working animal charities like SPANA also help protect human health in the UK. He adds:
“Supporting animal health overseas not only improves welfare for the animals themselves, which is deeply important, it also helps prevent the spread of diseases. It’s one of the most cost-effective ways to protect UK public health and livestock, while making a real difference to the lives of animals and the communities that depend on them.”
SPANA is a global charity that works with partners across 22 countries. The organisation provides veterinary treatment for working animals and support and training for their owners. Within certain countries, the charity continues to offer placements to local student vets and technicians, focussing on those who wouldn’t usually have access to hands-on experience.
Professor Hassan Alyakine, SPANA Morocco Country Director, said:
“In many of the countries where we work, vets and veterinary technicians often qualify with minimal direct experience caring for working animals. In Morocco, our student placements give local and regional vets practical experience, directly improving the care working animals receive.”
For over a century, SPANA has been dedicated to transforming the lives of working animals and supporting the people who depend on them. We work with partners worldwide to increase access to essential veterinary treatment and campaign for better welfare standards. We also support owners as they develop the knowledge and skills to look after their animals with confidence and care – while inspiring the next generation to do the same. Together, we're building a world where working animals are healthy and valued, communities are stronger and livelihoods are more secure.
In 2025, SPANA and its local partners worked across 22 countries. In Morocco, the charity reached over 34,800 animals and provided over 63,400 treatments last year. Each year, SPANA reaches more than 487,000 working animals worldwide.
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