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New legislation prioritises animal welfare
Spaniel
A change in the current regulations will allow a vet to shorten the tails of working spaniel and hunt point retriever puppies.

Environment secretary takes steps to prevent animal suffering in Scotland

Environment Secretary, Roseanna Cunningham, yesterday announced new measures to be introduced in Scotland, to protect animal welfare and help to prevent animal suffering.

Ms Cunningham confirmed:

  • A change in the current regulations will allow a vet to shorten the tails of working spaniel and hunt point retriever puppies, where they consider dogs to be at risk of severe tail damage, later in life.

  • A new bylaw to prohibit the use of wild animals in travelling circuses will be introduced in May 2017, to take effect in 2018.

  • A meeting to discuss the crimes and penalties under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006.

 
Tough new legislation banning the use of electronic training collars- including electric pulse, sonar and spray- will also be introduced. Unless used under the supervision of a certified trainer or vet, the collars will be outlawed in a bid to promote animal wellbeing.
 
Ms Cunningham said: “Scotland is a nation of animal lovers and we take the welfare of our pets, animals and livestock very seriously.
 
“We have consulted extensively on a number of issues and we will now improve our legislation by regulating the use of electronic training collars. There is evidence that these devices can cause suffering so they will only be permitted for use as a last resort and under the guidance of an approved trainer or vet.
 
“Similarly, we have seen evidence that some working dogs are suffering tail injuries so I have decided to allow vets to shorten the tails of Spaniel and Hunt Point Retriever puppies where they believe it will prevent future injuries amongst working dogs.
 
“We will also ban the use of wild animals in travelling circuses, which is widely considered to be morally unacceptable in the present day, and undertake a full review of penalties under existing animal health and welfare legislation. I believe this package of measures will improve the protection given to the welfare of animals in Scotland over the coming months and years.”

 

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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. 

Click here for more...
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.