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New campaign calls for action on cat breeding
kitten
"The commercial market today chiefly operates through home-based breeders placing advertisements on classified websites that sell everything from fridges to felines."
Existing laws 'no longer fit for purpose', charity says

A new campaign is calling for legislation to ban the sale of kittens under the age of eight weeks and prevent unscrupulous breeding practices.

Cats Protection, which launched the 'True cost of kittens' campaign, says the current law dates back to 1951 and is no longer fit for purpose.

"The way pets are sold has completely changed since the 1950s, and far fewer cats are sold in pet shops," said the charity's advocacy manager, Jacqui Cuff. "The commercial market today chiefly operates through home-based breeders placing advertisements on classified websites that sell everything from fridges to felines."

As a result, kittens are being bred in poor welfare conditions and sold with serious health problems, leaving owners with substantial vets bills. Often leaving their mothers too young, kittens are sold for anything from £50 to hundreds of pounds. There is also a growing market for unusual looking kittens often described as crossbreeds, such as ragdoll or Persian crosses.

Cats Protection wants to see a ban on the sale of kittens under eight weeks of age, regulation of repeat breeding of family cats and a definition of commercial sales. It is also urging the government to close legal loopholes that allow breeding for sale to take place without scrutiny, usually from domestic premises.

Defra is currently reviewing animal establishment licences - a move that Cats Protection has welcomed. Jacqui Cuff said updating the pet vending laws would be "a huge step towards safeguarding feline welfare".

Members of the public are being asked to urge their local MP to seek assurance from Defra that new legislation will address cat welfare issues.

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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.