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Young boy opens rescue shelter in the Philippines
Ken with Blackie, Brownie and White Puppy
Ken with Blackie, Brownie and White Puppy (Image ©Happy Animals Club).

Nine-year-old Ken hopes to save as many strays from euthanasia as possible

A nine-year-old boy has started a no-kill animal shelter to help stray cats and dogs in the Philippines.

Photos of him feeding strays earlier this year were circulated on the internet and people from all over the world began donating money to help him buy better food and veterinary care.

Ken says: "Ever since I can remember I wanted to open an animal shelter to help the stray dogs and cats on the streets...

"My dad told me it would take a lot of money and 20 years for me to get an animal shelter. He said only grown ups can raise enough money to start an animal shelter."

Ken, however, raised enough money to start the Happy Animals Club and get veterinary care for the three dogs he had been feeding - Blackie, Brownie and White Puppy. "They gained a LOT of weight," he says. "Their open wounds healed, and their fur grew back. They also learned not to be scared of humans."

After raising 66,000 pesos ($1,500), Ken was able to lease a 10,000 square feet lot for a year. He has also bought bamboo huts for the animals. "Everyone expected me to put the dogs in cages but the dogs won't be happy if they are locked up in cages."

The aim of the charity is to save dogs from the city pound, where only about 20-30 per cent are claimed by their owners and the remainder are euthanised.

To find out more about Ken's shelter, visit: http://www.happyanimalsclub.org

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Cold-water dip to raise funds for Vetlife

News Story 1
 The veterinary mental health charity Vetlife is inviting the veterinary community to join it for a sponsored cold-water dip.

The event will take place at Walpole Bay, Margate, on 17 May during Mental Health Awareness Week. Participants of all abilities can join in the challenge and are advised to bring a towel, a hot drink, a snack, and warm clothes to get changed into afterwards.

Those taking part are being asked to try to raise £100 each to support the work of the charity.

Details about how to take part can be found here

Click here for more...
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Bluetongue low vector period ends

In an update to its bluetongue guidance, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced that the seasonal low vector period for the disease has ended.

With winter over, Defra is planning for a possible increase in cases as midges become more active. It has warned that farms along the east coast of England from Norfolk to Kent, and along the south coast from Kent to Devon, are at highest risk from infected midges blown over from northern Europe.

Since the virus was detected in England in November 2023, there have been 126 confirmed cases. The most recent case to be confirmed was on 1 March 2024.

Farmers are asked to continue to frequently monitor their livestock and ensure their animals and land are registered with the Animal and Plant Health Agency.