Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies at the University of Edinburgh has opened an emergency clinic for injured animals, to allow the public to bring in wildlife in need of treatment. The Wildlife Emergency Clinic is the first of its kind in the UK.

The new emergency clinic, based at the School's Hospital for Small Animals, will treat animals with the aim of releasing them back into their native habitat. The venture will also enable veterinary students to gain more hands-on training in treating wildlife.

The emergency clinic will treat animals, such as hedgehogs or injured birds, as well as larger animals such as deer. However, people are advised to contact the SSPCA to arrange for an inspector to be sent out for support if they have found a larger injured animal or if an animal seems in too much distress to be transported.

Emma Keeble, a wildlife veterinary expert at the Hospital for Small Animals, said: "At this time of year there may be orphaned hedgehogs found out during the day time, which are not able to fend for themselves or hedgehogs suffering from conditions such as fly-strike. As summer progresses there tend to be lawnmower and strimmer injuries. There are also other animals that may have been injured as a result of road accidents."

The School's Hospital for Small Animals already has an exotic and wildlife ward and works with the SSPCA to treat animals so that they can be released back into their native habitat.

Professor Stephen May FRCVS, Emeritus Professor at the Royal Veterinary College, and Kulin Patel MRCVS, Veterinary Advisor for International Trade at Defra, have been awarded OBEs in King Charles III’s Birthday Honours List

Stephen was recognised for his services to veterinary education and animals in science.

He served as RCVS President from 2017 to 2018 and has been actively involved in the work of the College for many years, serving a total of 19 years as a Council member, both as a vet school-appointee and an elected member, before retiring in 2024.

During his time on Council, he led the Legislative Reform Working Group which developed the Legislative Reform Proposals, as well as the Graduate Outcomes Project, out of which the Veterinary Graduate Development Programme was developed.

Kulin was recognised for his services to animal health and international trade.

RCVS President, Linda Belton MRCVS, said: “Huge congratulations to both Professor May and Dr Patel on this outstanding achievement.

"Thank you both for your extraordinary contributions to the veterinary profession during your careers, for which I would like to extend my appreciation on behalf of everyone at the RCVS.

“I would also like to extend congratulations to all those mentioned in the King’s Birthday Honours List for contributions to the veterinary world, animal health and welfare, and to the One Health concept more generally.

"We could not do the work we do without vital stakeholder collaboration, and it is fantastic to see outstanding individuals in the field being recognised for all they have contributed to our society.”

Electoral Reform Services (ERS), the independent body that carries out the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons' Council election, has offered reassurance that the election was fair, in spite of a number of voters being sent duplicate ballot papers.

According to the College, ERS designs and prints the ballot papers, and receives back votes via the post, internet and text message, but it does not distribute the ballot papers: this was carried out by a separate mailing house contracted directly by the RCVS. Although the exact number of voters who received duplicate papers is not known, it may have been up to 289, as that was the shortfall of voting papers at the mailing house. 

ERS carried out a review of voting patterns, including issues such as multiple votes coming from a single IP address, and concluded that it was not possible to say there had been instances of dual voting. Even in the small number of cases where there was a suggestion of dual voting, if those particular votes had been discounted it would not have affected the outcome of the election.

In a letter to the College, Adrian Wilkins, ERS Senior Consultant said: "Our view is... that although a number of members were sent two ballot papers, there is no firm evidence of fraud, and that the result is an accurate reflection of the views of the members of the Royal College. Our recommendation is consequently that the result should be declared as per our election report of 30^th April 2012."

As a consequence, the RCVS returning officer, Gordon Hockey, Acting Registrar, declared the election results on 30 April.

Research on ovine parasite Toxoplasma gondii, carried out at the University of Salford, could have a significant economic impact on the sheep farming industry - potentially saving the lives of 5% of the UK lamb population.

Postgraduate student Emma Morley has been working as part of a large research team, looking at the importance of transmission routes of T. gondii (the cause of the disease toxoplasmosis) within different mammalian groups.  

A scholarship from the Perry Foundation, which funds research benefiting the farming industry, allowed Emma to launch her own study at the School of Environment & Life Sciences.

Salford parasitologist Professor Geoff Hide said: "Emma's research may have some significant impacts on sheep farming.  Nearly 5% of lambs are lost to Toxoplasma in the UK so it's of major economic importance as well as an important animal welfare issue."

He said that one of the key things Emma's research has shown is that the advice currently given to farmers may be causing an increase in the level of the disease rather than controlling it. "Farmers are advised to breed from ewes that have lost lambs to Toxoplasma but Emma's results show that what farmers should be doing is breeding from ewes that do not have the parasite," he said.

The Royal Mail has launched Dog Awareness Week (15th-19th July) to raise awareness of dog attacks on Royal Mail's postmen and women, and appeal to dog owners to keep animals under control when the postman calls.

The Royal Mail says dog attacks are a significant hazard faced by postmen and women on a daily basis. Attacks rise during the school holidays and in the summer months when parents and children are at home and dogs are sometimes allowed unsupervised in the garden, or out onto the street without restraints.

Since April 2011, there have been over 5,500 attacks on Royal Mail postmen and women, some leading to a permanent disabling injury. Attacks have resulted in the loss of 4,100 working days due to injuries.

Whilst the number of attacks has fallen by 24% nationally since 2011, over 2,400 postmen and women were still attacked by dogs in the year ending April 2013.

Currently, legal protection against attacks by dogs does not extend 'beyond the garden gate'. This is a particular problem for postmen and women, who each visit hundreds of private addresses every day on their delivery rounds. The Royal Mail says it welcomes the Government's commitment to amend the previous legislation to ensure its postmen and women will be protected when they enter private property, including gardens.

Shaun Davis, Director of Health, Safety and Wellbeing for Royal Mail Group said: "For the first time, we are holding a Dog Awareness Week working with the CWU, animal charities and organisations to raise awareness of the problems our postmen and women face daily when they are delivering the mail.

"We are delighted to be supported by a wide range of organisations and animal charities including Dogs Trust, DEFRA, Blue Cross, Wood Green, and the Association of Dog Wardens.

"We have held a number of previous one day campaigns and the awareness of the issue of dog attacks is growing. Last year the number of dog attacks on our people fell. However there  were still over 2,400 incidents and we need to reduce this number further as even one dog attack on our people is one dog attack too many.

"Clearly most dogs are not inherently dangerous, however, even the most placid animal can be prone to attack if it feels its territory is being threatened. Our first priority as an employer is to ensure the welfare and safety of our people who provide a valuable service to our customers  and we appeal to owners to keep their pets under control, especially if they know their pets have a territorial nature."

Wafcol, or The Worcestershire Animal Foor Company Ltd as it is known in full, has launched a new website. 

The company says it has always claimed its food, developed with leading dermatologist Sue Paterson and BVA President Harvey Locke, can change dogs' lives and that the site now allows you to see how that happens.  

Along with the usual dietary information and range details you would expect to find, the website has a section dedicated to customer testimonials featuring stories like that of Rocco, a five year old chocolate Labrador that was given to The Labrador Lifeline Trust because his owners were unable to cope with the endless vet bills for his skin condition.

Pennie Medland, Area Co-ordinator for The Labrador Lifeline Trust said: "His face was sore and all under his chest and tummy was dry and crusty...he looked thoroughly miserable and depressed."

As part of Rocco's treatment by the Trust's vet, his food was changed to Wafcol Salmon and Potato and after just a few weeks he became a different dog. Pennie said: "The hair on his face has grown back, the awful itching has stopped and his general demeanor is so different from the sad depressed boy I first saw. He has cheered up no end and is really bouncy - it's fantastic to see. Our thanks go out to Wafcol."

For further details about the Wafcol Sensitive range of diets,  visit www.wafcol.co.uk or call 0844 375 7002 now.

Hill's Pet Nutrition has been awarded “The Pet Food Company Most Trusted By Vets” at the Vet Trust Awards 2025.

Presented by The Webinar Vet and Vet Dynamics, the Vet Trust Awards celebrate notable contributions to veterinary advancement.

Claire Towers, General Manager of Hill’s Pet Nutrition UK and Ireland said: “Our recognition as the most trusted pet food brand is a testament to the unwavering dedication of the Hill’s team, ensuring vets remain integral to our mission.”

The Pet Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG), which is comprised of representatives from the UK's leading animal welfare organisations, has launched a set of minimum standards for websites that advertise pets for sale.

PAAG says the new standards have been developed to improve the welfare of the pets and to protect members of the public from the risk of ending up with sick, dangerous or even illegal animals. The standards have also been endorsed by Defra and Lord de Mauley, the Minister for Animal Welfare, who has been discussing the need for improvement with the leading online pet classified websites.

The Group points to Kennel Club research which shows that one in five puppies bought online are dying before they reach six months, together with some of the worst adverts the organisation has seen online, as evidence for the urgent need for these new standards:

• Puppy offered for swap with a mobile phone 
• Six week old Staffie puppy
• Golden Retriever wanted for swap with a Chihuahua
• Pitbull puppy for sale - Pitbulls are illegal to sell in the UK

PAAG says it is working with the Government to remind consumers and websites that an animal is not a commodity like a washing machine or a car, and should not be advertised or bought in the same way. Websites in compliance with the standards will be identifiable to consumers on the PAAG website as the ethical and safer choice when deciding to find a pet online. The group is encouraging the public to stay vigilant to ensure that websites meet the standards consistently, and not to use sites that don't apply the Minimum Standards.

Caroline Kisko, Secretary of the Kennel Club, said: "Whilst we recognise that puppies are commonly advertised online, it is still shocking to know that there are between 100,000 and 120,000 pet advertisements appearing on UK websites each day. The research undertaken by PAAG has revealed some truly terrible examples where animal welfare was clearly the last thought in the mind of the advertiser. Every day we hear from people who have bought a puppy online only for it to fall sick or die soon after, and the Kennel Club's research for its Puppy Awareness Week shows that one in five pups bought online die before they're six months old.

"We hope that the Minimum Standards will be just that, a minimum standard that a website must reach before posting advertisements for pets. In an ideal world we would prefer people not to buy pets online but would advise that if you are doing so that you check the website adheres to PAAG's Minimum Standards. We urge people to go to a member of the Kennel Club Assured Breeder Scheme if they want the best chance of getting a healthy and well cared for puppy, as this is the only scheme in the country that sets standards for and monitors breeders."

Lord de Mauley, Minister for Animal Welfare at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said: "It is vitally important that advertising websites do all they can to ensure the welfare of animals sold on their sites and to prevent the sale of banned breeds. I fully support PAAG's Minimum Standards and would encourage all advertising websites to sign up to these."

PAAG says that the Minimum Standards are just the first step to improving how pets are advertised online, and that it will work closely with websites including Gumtree, Loot and Preloved to provide support on the reporting of suspicious adverts and the moderating of such ads. A team of volunteer moderators will also be created to provide further support for the websites and ensure that if anyone is turning to the internet to buy an animal they can do so with more confidence that they are buying a healthily bred pet.

PAAG has compiled a video of case studies showing the impact of inappropriate online advertising on members of the public, the veterinary profession and animal welfare authorities. See: http://www.paag.org.uk.

PAAG comprises: Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, Blue Cross, British Veterinary Association, Cats Protection, Dogs Trust, The Kennel Club, Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association (OATA), One Kind, PDSA, RWAF, Raystede, Reptile and Exotic Pet Trade Association (REPTA), Wood Green the Animals Charity, World Horse Welfare.

This is the call to Government from an industry-wide stakeholder group that has joined forces and vowed to do everything in its power to stamp out the disease which is seeing upwards of 28,000 cattle a year culled.

The industry stakeholder group has put its name to an eight-point statement of agreement following the non-decision announced by the Secretary of State, Hilary Benn, on dealing with bTB.

Included in the eight points is a call for an independent body to take on the future decision making for animal health; a commitment of non-participation in the TB Partnership Group as announced by the Secretary of State; and an industry policy of non-participation in discussions on cost sharing and responsibility on animal health and welfare issues.

The NFU, which hosted the stakeholder meeting, has been heartened by a report, also out today, from the Efra select committee on badgers and cattle TB which says the Government is playing down the serious nature of bovine TB. In its response the committee, chaired by the Rt Hon Michael Jack MP, says:

• there is little in the Government’s strategy to tackle the disease in the short term and this is not good enough;
• the Government is opting out of leadership on the issue and subcontracting important decisions with high cost implications to the Bovine TB Partnership Group;
• the Government has chosen to put all its eggs in one basket by focusing its energies and funding on the long-term goal of developing cattle and badger vaccines when it is unlikely a badger vaccine will be available before 2014 and a cattle vaccine before 2015.

NFU Deputy President Meurig Raymond said: “The industry feels let down and angered by the Government’s abdication of responsibility around this devastating disease. We have been left with no choice but to walk away from any attempt by Government to validate their ‘policy’ decision and pass responsibility for controlling this disease to the already beleaguered cattle sector. The Efra committee’s report reinforces both the fact that the Government has made the wrong decision and the need for something to be done now rather than waiting for vaccines to become available years down the line which will be too late for many farmers whose businesses are being decimated by this disease. The Efra report recognises the value of the VLA9 culling proposal put together by the NFU and other industry bodies for the South West of England. Hilary Benn has been invited to meet the people involved with VLA9 but has declined to do so which, given the hard work that has been put in on the plan, is very disappointing.”

Following a five-year review of the Practice Standards Scheme, new standards will take effect from 1 April 2010, and be formally launched at the British Small Animal Veterinary Association Congress in Birmingham (8-11 April).

The Scheme, to which around 50% of practice premises are now signed up, exists to raise standards for the benefit of the public, as well as employees. The review was undertaken by the Practice Standards Group, which includes representatives from all of the key veterinary and veterinary nursing organisations. Its objective was to ensure that standards remain relevant and achievable, while representing better practice. The Group took on board improvements in practice over the last five years, and feedback from inspectors and practices.

Practice Standards Group Chairman, Jill Nute said: "It was important that the Group took account of what the public might reasonably expect of a well-equipped, professional practice. We have made some adjustments to the original standards, placing greater emphasis on clinical outcomes and training."

She added: "To ensure the Scheme goes beyond a 'box-ticking exercise', the emphasis for inspectors has moved towards assessing how standards are applied. For example, not just noting whether a protocol exists for the servicing of anaesthetic equipment, but asking staff involved how this is carried out and what checks are made on a daily basis to ensure the equipment is satisfactory."

The numbered 'tiers' have gone, as these were shown to be confusing. The descriptive categories (Core, GP, Hospital), together with differentiations (equine, small animal, farm animal, emergency services clinic), remain. In addition, to encourage more farm animal practices into the Scheme at GP level, 'where applicable' has been added to certain GP standards, so that those without small animal or equine facilities can comply.

There are some new standards - such as the requirement for annual appraisal systems for all clinical staff. In other cases, as expectations of better practice increase, standards that were previously for Hospitals must now be met by General Practices, and some of those for GPs now apply across the board.

Another change has been in the Manual (see www.rcvs.org.uk/newPSSmanual), which now incorporates guidance alongside the standards rather than in a separate document. The new format clarifies the derivation of each standard, so that legislative requirements are distinguished from those required under the RCVS Guide to Professional Conduct and those indicated by better practice.

Practices already on the Scheme will be given plenty of time to comply.

Visit stand 911 at BSAVA Congress for more information, or attend Hall 6 at 3.30pm on Saturday 10 April for a presentation on the changes.

BSAVA PetSavers has gone into partnership with NationWide Laboratories to enable its Ageing Canine Toolkit to reach a wider audience of UK pet owners.

The Ageing Canine Toolkit, which was developed from research carried out by the University of Liverpool, aims to help both vets and owners provide the best care for senior and geriatric dogs.

It includes information about common health problems that affect ageing dogs and a colour-coded checklist to help owners know when to seek advice from a veterinary practice and how to guide discussions during consultations.

As part of the partnership, NationWide Laboratories will be distributing the toolkit to its clients, helping raise awareness and make sure that the owners of older dogs know how to look for signs of disease which could enable treatment to be started earlier.

Alison Selby, Fundraising Manager for BSAVA PetSavers said: “We are thrilled to be embarking on this partnership with NationWide Laboratories.

"By supporting the print and distribution costs of this invaluable resource, they will help us reach more pet owners across the UK.

"Working together in partnership, we hope to equip owners with the knowledge and confidence to support their dogs through the ageing process, ultimately improving their quality of life.”

https://bsava.com/petsavers/our-impact/citizen-science-project 

Dechra Veterinary Products is celebrating sales of 100 million sachets of Equipalazone® Powder with a campaign in which customers will get a special deal, and the chance to enter a draw for a VIP, 3-day trip to Badminton 2008.

Veterinary surgeons who intend to conduct research in the field of gastroenterology in dogs or cats can apply for a grant of up to €20,000 awarded by the European Emesis Council (EEC).

The New Clinical Investigator Grant is open to qualified veterinarians who have obtained their degree within the last seven years and are working in Europe. The award will be made to support an original research into naturally occurring gastrointestinal disease - for a period of up to two years.

The European Emesis Council is a science-driven, non-charitable, not-for-profit group dedicated to promoting best practice in the management of canine and feline emesis and in the wider field of gastroenterology. It consists of specialists from France, Italy, Spain, The Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and the UK, who are acknowledged experts in veterinary gastroenterology.

The EEC has decided to award the research grant as part of its on-going commitment to building and developing better practice in the management of canine emesis and associated causes. The group is supported by Pfizer Animal Health.

Applications will be evaluated by the EEC and must be conducted in strict accordance with the highest standards for animal care, including the standards of applicant's national animal research legislation and other relevant European laws, regulations and guidelines.

The New Clinical Investigator Grant recipient will be presented at the ECVIM Congress in September 2010. Closing date for entries is 1 July 2010.

Further details and an application form are available online: www.emesiscouncil.com/eec-grant.