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Vet squad to tackle pet welfare issues
vet squad
The PDSA vet squad consists of over 50 vets and nurses who will educate pet owners on the importance of preventative healthcare.

Charity initiative hopes to educate pet owners
 
A new charity vet squad is on a mission to tackle some of the UK's troubling pet health and welfare issues.

The team consists of over 50 vets and nurses, one for each of the PDSA's pet hospitals.

They will educate animal owners on preventative healthcare, with the aim of boosting the uptake of vaccinations, neutering, parasite treatments and microchipping.

Figures from the latest PDSA Animal Wellbeing (PAW) report show more than 6 million pets are not receiving their booster vaccinations, while 4.1 million dogs, cats and rabbits have not been neutered, leaving them open to a number of potentially deadly, preventable diseases.

Furthermore, the report found 6.3 million pets in the UK are not microchipped. Many owners remain unaware of upcoming legislation making this procedure compulsory for all dogs in England.

The PDSA formed the vet squad with the help of a £550,000 funding award from the People's Postcode Lottery.

Nicola Martin, the charity's head of pet health and welfare, said the money will make a huge difference in addressing some of the main welfare issues affecting our pets.

Funds will also enable the charity to hold open days at its hospitals to engage with the public, as well as developing a new range of pet health advice materials and hosting live Q&A sessions on social media with vets and nurses.

Image courtesy of PDSA

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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.