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Wales to develop licensing scheme for mobile animal exhibits
Examples of mobile animal exhibits (MAEs) include travelling falconry and hawing displays, exotic pets taken to schools and reindeer at Christmas events.
Consultation also shows support for ban on circus animals 

The Welsh Government is set to develop a licensing scheme for mobile animal exhibits, following a consultation.

Examples of mobile animal exhibits (MAEs) include travelling falconry and hawing displays, exotic pets taken to schools and reindeer at Christmas events.

A consultation earlier this year found the majority of respondents favoured a licensing scheme over registration. The government will now develop the scheme in partnership with stakeholders and enforcement agencies.

Announcing the decision, cabinet secretary Lesley Griffiths, said: “There is concern the welfare needs of some animals kept by MAEs, including circuses, cannot be met in a travelling environment. MAEs are diverse and there is no standard licensing regime or requirement for routine inspection.”

Government officials are now beginning work on developing the scheme, which Griffiths said “will not be done in isolation”.

She added: “We will need to engage with stakeholders and enforcement agencies in its development, particularly on how we define MAEs, as well as working collaboratively with our counterparts in the other devolved administrations to ensure there are no cross border issues.”

The consultation also asked for views on banning the use of wild animals in circuses. Of the almost 1,000 responses to the consultation, the majority answered only this question and there was strong support for a ban. The licensing scheme will include animals in circuses, but officials will consider this as a separate work stream.

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Cold-water dip to raise funds for Vetlife

News Story 1
 The veterinary mental health charity Vetlife is inviting the veterinary community to join it for a sponsored cold-water dip.

The event will take place at Walpole Bay, Margate, on 17 May during Mental Health Awareness Week. Participants of all abilities can join in the challenge and are advised to bring a towel, a hot drink, a snack, and warm clothes to get changed into afterwards.

Those taking part are being asked to try to raise £100 each to support the work of the charity.

Details about how to take part can be found here

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Bluetongue low vector period ends

In an update to its bluetongue guidance, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced that the seasonal low vector period for the disease has ended.

With winter over, Defra is planning for a possible increase in cases as midges become more active. It has warned that farms along the east coast of England from Norfolk to Kent, and along the south coast from Kent to Devon, are at highest risk from infected midges blown over from northern Europe.

Since the virus was detected in England in November 2023, there have been 126 confirmed cases. The most recent case to be confirmed was on 1 March 2024.

Farmers are asked to continue to frequently monitor their livestock and ensure their animals and land are registered with the Animal and Plant Health Agency.