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Chester Zoo receives over £120,000 in donations following fire
Many animals, including orangutans, are needing to be rehomed to other areas of the zoo.
Funds to be spent on conservation projects

Following the devasting fire at Chester Zoo on 15 December 2018, well-wishing members of the public have donated over £120,000 in funds to help repair the damage.

The fire claimed the lives of numerous rare insects, frogs, fish, snakes and small birds.

Chester zoo has said that it is “totally overwhelmed” by the donations received, which is more than double the amount of the original £60,000 target.

Jamie Christon, chief operating officer at the zoo, commented that the Justgiving donation page was set-up in response to the enormous number of enquiries from the public asking how they could help.

Fortunately, many of their 21,000 animals were saved by being tempted away from the fire with food. Orangutans, macaques, gibbons, large birds and other animals survived, but rehoming is now taking place within the zoo.

Mr Christon explained: “It's quite a complex task. For example, we have got 51 primate moves - that's 51 moves of large mammal species across the zoo over the next few days to make sure their welfare is maintained."

Mr Christon said that while the cost of repairing the roof will be covered by insurance, the money raised will be spent on conservation projects.

Commenting on the affected animals, Mr Christon said that they were “part of conservation breeding programmes” and that Chester zoo “will look to be part of those vital projects once again in the near future".

The cause of the fire has been deemed “accidental” but the zoo is working closely with firefighters to establish exactly what happened.

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Practices urged to audit neutering data

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.

It follows the release of the 2024 NASAN benchmarking report, which collates data from neutering procedures performed on dogs, cats and rabbits.

The benchmarking report enables practices in the UK and Ireland to compare their post-operative outcomes to the national average. This includes the rate of patients lost to follow-up, which in 2024 increased to 23 per cent.

Anyone from the practice can submit the data using a free template. The deadline for next report is February 2026.

Visit the RCVS Knowledge website to complete an audit. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
RCVS pays tribute to well-loved equine vet

The RCVS and the Riding Establishments Subcommittee has paid tribute to well-loved veterinary surgeon and riding establishment inspector, Rebecca Hamilton-Fletcher MRCVS.

Linda Belton MRCVS, RCVS President, said: "I, along with my colleagues on the RESC, RCVS Council, RCVS Standards Committee, as well as RCVS staff, was very saddened to hear of the sudden death of Rebecca, or Becca as we knew her, last week.

"She was a true advocate for equine welfare and in her many years on the RESC worked to continually improve the quality and consistency of riding establishment inspections, all in the interests of enhanced horse welfare and rider safety."