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Horse healthcare survey receives outstanding response
Horses in stable
Over 7,000 horse owners and non-veterinarian service providers completed the online survey this year.
More than 7,000 horse owners and non-veterinary service providers completed online survey

A survey coordinated by BEVA to discover more about the use of non-veterinarian procedures in equine healthcare, has received an outstanding response from the equine industry.  Over 7,000 horse owners and non-veterinarian service providers completed the online survey this year, as part of Defra's Review of Minor Procedures (RMPR) project.

The anonymous survey was directed at musculoskeletal and dental care practitioners, as well as horse owners to discover more about why, when and how non-veterinarians are used for equine healthcare services.  Together with representative associations, approximately 6,000 horse owners, 600 individual musculoskeletal practitioners, and 400 equine dental care providers took part. BEVA say that the results will provide a framework to help determine how equine healthcare services undertaken by non-vets should be managed in future, in order to best protect the health and welfare of horses in the UK.

There has been an increasing concern over recent years that the number of individuals offering equine healthcare services, and the range of those services, has expanded without there being any system for making sure that the standards of care offered are what owners expect and horses deserve.  BEVA say that current regulations were drawn up decades ago - before many of today's services were routinely available - and there is now an opportunity to review whether of not the current controls are fit for purpose.

The chief executive of BEVA, David Mountford, said: “The results will paint a clearer picture of how healthcare is currently provided for horses in the UK, which groups and individuals carry out these services and what the horse owners’ perceptions are in relation to qualifications and regulations. The next steps will be to consider how the system could be improved to best protect the health and welfare of horses."

The full results of the survey should be available by the end of the year. 

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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.