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Holidaymaker finds South African frog in suitcase
The frog will remain in captivity where it’ll be provided with specialist care.
RSPCA urges travellers to check their luggage

Travellers are being urged to check their luggage for stowaway creatures before going home after a frog flew more than 8,000 miles from South Africa to Nottinghamshire.

The warning comes from the RSPCA after animal collection officer Paula Jones was called out to the village of Darlton. A woman had returned from a holiday in South Africa and found the frog, which was about the size of a £2 coin, in her suitcase.

“The caller was unpacking from a recent trip abroad when a little frog hopped out of her bag,” ACO Jones said. “She managed to quickly confine the amphibian under an upturned box and contacted us for help.

“I went out to collect the frog and took him to a local farm with specialist facilities for exotic animals. He’s doing well considering his long journey but was very still when I first picked him up. He’s definitely not used to our cold climate as once warmed up was a lot more active.”

The RSPCA is frequently contacted by holidaymakers who have returned home with something they didn’t quite expect.

ACO Jones added: “We often get called out to collect lizards, frogs, crabs and spiders who have crawled into clothes and bags before flying home with their unsuspecting smugglers. We’ve even been called by people who have found potentially deadly scorpions in their suitcases!

“I hope this little frog’s remarkable journey will remind holidaymakers to always give their cases an extra thorough check before heading home - just in case they too pick up a surprising stowaway.”

The frog will remain in captivity where it’ll be provided with specialist care.

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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
New guidance for antibiotic use in rabbits

New best practice guidance on the responsible use of antibiotics in rabbits has been published by the BSAVA in collaboration with the Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund (RWA&F).

The guidance is free and has been produced to help veterinary practitioners select the most appropriate antibiotic for rabbits. It covers active substance, dose and route of administration all of which are crucial factors when treating rabbits owing to the risk of enterotoxaemia.

For more information and to access the guide, visit the BSAVALibrary.