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Bogus ‘vet’ sentenced to three years in prison
Mr Keniry admitted faking his CV to gain work at a veterinary practice in Taunton.

Peter Keniry faked CV to get work as a veterinary surgeon

A bogus ‘vet’ who faked the identity of members of the RCVS to fraudulently practice as a veterinary surgeon has been sentenced to three years in prison.

Peter Keniry was sentenced at Taunton Crown Court on Tuesday (17 October) after admitting a charge of fraud and one of practising as a veterinary surgeon without being registered.

According to the Somerset County Gazette, Mr Keniry admitted faking his CV to get work at a veterinary practice in Taunton. He had stolen the name of a qualified vet to get the job and was employed there for almost two years before his arrest.

Welcoming the news, RCVS register Eleanor Ferguson said: “We believe that Mr Keniry is a threat to animal health and welfare. He is a repeat offender and so we are glad that he has been handed a significant custodial sentence.

“While sophisticated and convincing fraudsters like Mr Keniry can be very difficult to prevent, we would urge veterinary practices to be vigilant. For example, we recommend that potential employers contact our Registration Department to make checks, always interview a potential employee face-to-face, ask to see supporting identity documents, prepare questions which confirm where and when they studied, obtain references and, if they are employed, mentor the new member of staff to oversee their performance.”

Mr Keniry has convictions dating back to 1986 in his native South Africa for fraud and impersonating a veterinary surgeon. In previous years, he has been able to gain employment in small and large animal practice and greyhound racing. 

In light of his arrest, members of the public concerned about the legitimacy of their veterinary surgeon or veterinary nurse are being urged to talk to someone else in the practice or contact the RCVS.

"We would like to emphasise that cases such as that of Peter Keniry are, in our experience, extremely rare," Eleanor added. "We don't belive that the unprecedented actions of this one fradulent individual should in any way undermine the confidence and trust that animal owners place in their veterinary team."

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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.