Animal Health Trust
Founded1942
FounderWR Wooldridge CBE, FRCVS
Dissolved31 July 2020
FocusHorses, dogs and cats
Location
  • Kentford, Newmarket
Area served
Veterinary medicine
Key people
Peter Webbon, CEO
Websitehttp://www.aht.org.uk/ (Archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20200508220239/http://www.aht.org.uk/)

The Animal Health Trust (AHT) was a large national independent charity in the United Kingdom, employing 200 scientists, veterinarians and support workers. Its objectives were to study and cure diseases in pets (horses, dogs and cats), and research and postgraduate education in veterinary medicine. It was founded in 1942[1] by WR Wooldridge, and was awarded a Royal Charter on 29 July 1963. Elizabeth II was the charity's patron from 1959[2] until the end of 2016,[3] and the Princess Royal was its president. Based in Newmarket in Suffolk, it was a registered charity under English law[4] and received no government funding. Following fundraising issues exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the charity entered liquidation on 31 July 2020.

Research of the AHT was in two main areas: inherited disease and infectious disease. Inherited disease research includes genetics, oncology and stem cell research. Infectious disease includes bacteriology, virology, immunology and equine epidemiology and disease surveillance. Its clinics ran active internship and residency training programmes for postgraduate education and training. The AHT published research and clinical findings in journals such as Nature,[5] and it also had its own open-access library.

AHT had two clinical centres: the Centre for Small Animal Studies and Centre for Equine Studies. Both clinics offered diagnostic laboratories and DNA testing services and conducted research.

History

The AHT was founded in 1946 as the "Veterinary Education Trust" by Walter Reginald Wooldridge; it was renamed the "Animal Health Trust" in 1948.[6] One of its first major donors was Annie Henrietta Yule, co-owner of Hanstead Stud, who offered the Trust the use of her Newmarket stable, Balaton Lodge.[7] The Trust operated from there until 1999.

Following fundraising difficulties and issues aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Animal Health Trust entered liquidation on 31 July 2020 with an auction for medical equipment in August 2020.[8] The medical site of the AHT went on auction for £7.85 million, and it is reported 250 staff were affected at the time.[9]

References

  1. ↑ "Animal Health Trust". BBC. Archived from the original on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
  2. ↑ Hoey, Brian (2013). "Appendix 1: Royal Animal Patronages". Pets by royal appointment: the royal family and their animals. New York: Biteback Publishing. ISBN 9781849546492.
  3. ↑ "Queen steps down as patron of children's charities". BBC News. 20 December 2016. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 24 April 2017. Other organisations which will be seeking a new patron include... the Animal Health Trust...
  4. ↑ "Animal Health Trust, registered charity no. 209642". Charity Commission for England and Wales. accessed 14 February 2019
  5. ↑ "Animal Health Trust (AHT)". Nature Index. Archived from the original on 20 October 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  6. ↑ Hannant, D (1993). "Scientific publications from the Animal Health Trust at Newmarket 1942-1991: a veterinary record". The British Veterinary Journal. 149 (1): 9–19. doi:10.1016/S0007-1935(05)80207-6. PMID 8439802. accessed 14 February 2019
  7. ↑ Hunter, Pamela (2016). Veterinary Medicine : a Guide to Historical Sources. [Place of publication not identified]. ISBN 9781351876049.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  8. ↑ "Closure of a specialist animal treatment centre used by clients from West Norfolk results in sale of specialist veterinary equipment". Lynn News. 9 September 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  9. ↑ "Massive site of former veterinary charity's HQ on the market for £7.85m". Suffolk News. 17 February 2022. Retrieved 26 September 2023.

Further reading

  • Onslow, Richard (1992). A History of the Animal Health Trust.
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