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Don’t leave the "have-nots" behind
keyboard
The study has significant implications for veterinary practices that are placing more of their communications online.
Seven million people have never used the internet, study finds

According to a study carried out by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) on behalf of the Keep Me Posted campaign, households without internet access pay an average of £440 more a year for goods and services. And the irony is that it is those who could most benefit – the elderly and other vulnerable groups in our society – who are missing out more than anyone else.

Some 7 million people in the UK have never used the internet, with the vast majority (72 per cent) being the poorest 10 per cent in society, and almost half (48 per cent) of them aged 65 years of age or more. Many of these people are pet owners and so the CEBR study has significant implications for veterinary practices that are placing more of their promotional communication, client education and financial transactions online.

This study emphasises the importance of taking the demographics of your practice catchment area seriously when devising a marketing plan and compiling the services you will offer your clients. Variables such as age, gender, household structure, income, education, occupation and social status will all influence the services, products and prices your clients – and potential clients – are seeking.

But perhaps, most significantly, the CEBR research highlights the increasing importance of including use of online and mobile media in any investigation of the demographic profile of your clients, together with a consideration of the balance of methods you will use to communicate with them.

There are some useful online resources that are available to help practices make these decisions, including the UK Office of National Statistics and ACORN (A Classification of Residential Neighbourhoods) produced by the marketing data company CACI.

So by all means encourage clients to use online methods of communicating and transacting with you; but do consider the overall mix of your clients and their backgrounds to make sure that you are not leaving a significant number of pet-owning over-65s and less wealthy clients behind. And once you have them on board, perhaps you can do your bit to persuade them of the advantages of going online.

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Reporting service for dead wild birds updated

News Story 1
 The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has updated its online reporting service for dead wild birds.

The new version allows those reporting a dead bird to drop a pin on a map when reporting the location. It also includes a wider range of wild bird species groups to select from when describing the bird.

The online service, which helps APHA to monitor the spread of diseases such as avian influenza, can be accessed here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NI chief vet urges bluetongue vigilance

Northern Ireland's chief veterinary officer (CVO) has urged farmers to be vigilant for signs of bluetongue, after the Animal and Plant Health Agency warned there was a very high probability of further cases in Great Britain.

There have been 126 confirmed cases of bluetongue virus serotype 3 in England since November 2023, with no cases reported in Northern Ireland. The movement of live ruminants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland is currently suspended.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the virus is most likely to enter Northern Ireland through infected animals or germplasm (semen or ova) being imported.

Brian Dooher, Northern Ireland's CVO, said: "Surveillance for this disease within Northern Ireland has been increased to assist with detection at the earliest opportunity which will facilitate more effective control measures."

Farmers should report any suspicions of the disease to their private veterinary practitioner, the DAERA Helpline on 0300 200 7840 or their local DAERA Direct Veterinary Office.