A new 'DoggyLottery' to raise funds for dog rescue centres in the UK will launch on Saturday (4 July). Every four weeks, five different rescue centres will be connected to the lottery, providing much-needed funds - particularly during COVID-19 - and providing vital online exposure.

A weekly game costs £1.50 and entrants will have the chance of being one of 20 guaranteed winners. A massive 60 per cent of the raised funds will go towards the dog rescue centres, more than double that donated by leading lottery companies to charitable causes.

To find out more and play the lottery, visit www.doggylottery.co.uk

Insurance provider Petplan has announced its 'first-ever' Pet Awards, which will recognise exceptional pets who enrich the lives of their owners.

Nominations are now open for the following awards: 'Hero Pet of the Year', 'Survivor Pet of the Year', 'Rescue Pet of the Year', 'Companion Pet of the Year' and 'Entertainer Pet of the Year'. The competition is particularly timely, given that many pets have been supporting their owners through lockdown.

The five winners will be selected by an independent panel of judges and will each receive a hamper of goodies worth 400. For more information and to nominate a pet, visit the Petplan website.

Registration has opened for the ISFM International Feline Congress, the world's first free virtual feline congress for vets, veterinary nurses and technicians.

The congress starts on Saturday, 8th August for three days of lectures and interactive events, with the content remaining on-demand until 11 September. Topics will cover areas of practical interest for veterinary professionals, including ethics, behaviour, critical care and pain assessment.

Full details about the congress, together with speaker information and details of how to register, can be found on the ISFM website.

Has someone in your practice team gone above and beyond to make your workplace a positive one during the coronavirus pandemic? Then why not nominate them for a 2020 Practice Wellbeing Star!

The joint RCVS Mind Matters Initiative/SPVS Practice Wellbeing Star nominations recognise individuals who have held up morale during a time when practices are facing unprecedented staffing and financial issues.

Nominees receive a certificate in recognition of their colleagues' appreciation of their achievements and will be entered into the prize draw for a pair of tickets to attend the joint SPVS and Veterinary Management Group Congress in January 2021.

International Cat Care (iCatCare) has launched its annual photography competition to document the six life stages of cats.

From kitten through to super senior, judges are on the lookout for images that document behaviour not necessarily associated with a particular life stage - such as a super senior playing with toys. However, photographs are by no means limited to this.

More information about the competition, including deadlines and submission details, can be found at woobox.com/thoqqz

The British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) has launched its 2020 #HedgehogWeek appeal to raise money for and awareness of the UK's dwindling hedgehog populations.

The appeal forms part of Hedgehog Awareness Week (3-9 May), which is this year asking people to take the time to think about may they could help hedgehogs, from creating a log pile in their garden to offering shallow bowls of water.

BHPS chief executive Fay Vass said: "With COVID-19 restrictions we are probably all spending more time in our own gardens and green spaces, so it's an ideal time to make those areas better for our dwindling population of hedgehogs as well as doing something positive, safe at home."