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Leading vets to debate horse welfare
Horse vet
Leading vets and horse welfare organisations will explore the relationship between vets and horses.

Session will explore relationship between vets and horses

A debate on horse welfare will take place at the annual Animal Welfare Foundation (AWF) Discussion Forum in June.

In the session ‘Are vets failing our horses,’ leading vets and horse welfare organisations will explore the relationship between vets and horses, looking at where to draw the line between treatment and prolonging life.

During the session, the speakers will also assess the impact of performance enhancement on horse welfare.

Chaired by AWF Trustee Ben Mayes, speakers for the session include Roly Owers, World Horse Welfare, Lesley Barwise-Munro, Alnorthumbria Vet Group, and Tim Greet, Rossdales Veterinary Surgeons.

Commenting on the session, Roly Owers said: “There are around one million horses in the UK, however, we believe many don't receive appropriate veterinary care.

“I think this discussion is important because, as a profession, vets haven’t always been the best at openly debating these type of issues, however, it’s becoming ever more important to do so, not least with the evolution of social media. Vets don’t ‘own’ animal welfare, but play a fundamental role in helping to achieve and maintain it."

The AWF Discussion Forum draws delegates from a wide array of fields and offers the chance to discuss and share knowledge on challenging welfare issues. This year, the Discussion Forum will also look at whether modern life is incompatible with pet ownership and introduce a new ‘On the Pulse’ session to debate a topical issue.

“We’re proud of AWF’s commitment to finding practical solutions to the welfare problems of all animals,” said Chris Lawrence, AWF chair of trustees. “Education and discussion are key to our work and we invite all those interested in improving animal welfare to join the debate at the Forum this year".

Gudrun Ravetz, president of the BVA, added: “Year-on-year, this is an exceptional conference that examines important issues for animal welfare. As outlined in our Animal welfare strategy, and agreed by BVA members, vets have a unique role to play in advocating animal welfare at all levels, so I would encourage as many people as possible to attend, hear from the experts and contribute to these influential discussions.”
 
The Discussion Forum takes place at One Great George Street, London on 5 June 2017. For more information or tickets, visit bva-awf.org.uk.

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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.