Veterinary sustainability checklist for perioperative care is launched

Dechra introduced the Veterinary Green Theatre Checklist (VGTC), a sustainability tool for veterinary perioperative care, at the 2025 World Congress of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia (WCVAA) in Paris, France. The checklist, adapted from the Intercollegiate Green Theatre Checklist, a tool used in human medicine, is designed to help veterinary teams reduce waste and improve sustainability during anesthesia and surgery in equine and companion animal care.

In an announcement introducing the tool, Dechra said VGTC brings together equine and companion animal perioperative guidelines in a checklist with evidence-based content. The checklist was created over the course of 18 months by an “international expert working group” and was independently reviewed by “specialists worldwide.” According to the company, the checklist received endorsements from the following veterinary organizations¹:

• Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists
• British Equine Veterinary Association
• European College of Veterinary Neurology
• European College of Veterinary Surgeons
• The charity partner of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), RCVS Knowledge

The idea for the checklist came from Lizzie Barker, MRCVS, MBBCh, technical marketing expert at Dechra, who came across the human medical version during her studies. According to Dechra, Barker reached out to specialists at the Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists and realized there was a demand for a similar tool in veterinary medicine. Thereafter, a cross-specialism collaborative team was created.

“The VGTC is a milestone in advancing OneHealth principles and sustainability in veterinary care,” Barker said in the Dechra announcement.¹ “By uniting our profession under a common set of green perioperative practices, we can make a tangible difference for both animal and environmental health.”

According to Dechra, the tool’s launch was one of the main focus points at the 2025 WCVAA, which took place September 15-19.

In a news release, Dechra said it will roll out an internal training and awareness campaign following the VGTC’s launch. The company also has plans to initiate an education project in collaboration with AVA and RCVS Knowledge.

Reference

1. Dechra supports launch of World’s First Veterinary Green Theatre Checklist. News release. Dechra. September 17, 2025.