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Vets raise £100k for animal charities
vet charity challenge cheque handover
A cheque for £36,000 was awarded to Cats Protection, SPANA and Hearing Dogs at London Vet Show.

Charity challenge money will support Hearing Dog training, mobile clinics and neutering

Practices taking part in the Vet Charity Challenge have managed to raise more than £100,000 over the past three years, with cash from this year's event going towards cat neutering, training Hearing Dogs puppies and supporting a mobile clinic in Tunisia.

At this year's London Vet Show, the team handed over £36,000 to Cats Protection, Hearing Dogs for Deaf People and the Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad (SPANA).

A total of 47 teams from veterinary practices and industry took part in this year's event in Pewsey, Wiltshire. Teams of four spent a day walking, running, cycling, kayaking and orienteering, as well as completing a range of mental tasks.

Hearing Dogs will use their share of the money to train two new puppies. "We are thrilled to be supported by Vet Charity Challenge for a second year," said Deborah Bourne from the charity. "The amount raised is really inspiring."

The charity also brought along Dolly, a 12-month-old puppy in training, to collect the cheque. Money raised during last year's challenge is funding her training to become a Hearing Dog.

Cats Protection said the money would go towards cat neutering, while SPANA will use their share to support a mobile clinic in Tunisia.

Commenting on the event, Andrew Cooke from the winning team BVC Bashers, said: "All four of the team had a fantastic day, all a little bit sore, but well worth the effort. The event is great for team bonding and we enjoyed meeting other people from other practices. We look forward to coming back next year".

During the kayaking stage, Team Kruuse faced a further challenge when they rescued a dog from the Pewsey Canal. When they spotted an elderly dog struggling to climb the canal bank and repeatedly falling back into the water, team members managed to pull the animal onto their kayak and paddle downstream to a crew of vets and nurses. The dog recovered well after being taken to a nearby surgery.

A video of the challenge is available on YouTube and further details of next year's event will be made available on the Vet Charity Challenge website and Facebook page.

Image courtesy of BCF Technology

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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.