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Northern Ireland animal welfare report launched
Dog in a kennel
The report includes tougher sentencing for those convicted of animal cruelty.
Department of Justice and DARD publish 68 recommendations

Launched in Belfast yesterday (29 February) by the agriculture minister Michelle O’Neill and the Justice Minister David Ford, the Final Report of the Review of the Implementation of the Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 includes tougher sentencing for those convicted of animal cruelty.

Sending out a clear message about an ongoing drive to address animal welfare issues, the 68 recommendations include inspecting dog breeding establishments for how they socialise animals. It also addresses the need to work with animal charities on best practise for rehoming pets.

Seamus O’Kane, BVA Northern Ireland branch president said “We are very pleased with these recommendations and the way in which DARD and the Department of Justice have worked together so quickly to put these recommendations into practice.”

BVA Northern Ireland now urges judges to take the new report into consideration for any new cases. O’Kane said: “All vets in Northern Ireland are behind Minister Ford’s message this morning – ‘Crimes against vulnerable animals are abhorrent and will not be tolerated in our society’”

BVA president Sean Wensley commented: “These are strong recommendations matched by decisive action to make the necessary changes to ensure those who mistreat and abuse animals are punished effectively by the law.

“The government in Northern Ireland has made a clear statement about how animals should be valued and this is something that is to be warmly welcomed.”

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

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News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.