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Poor water quality restricts Thames wildlife - ZSL
Teams of volunteers surveyed river banks, using an app to geotag, photograph and assess outfalls.

Pollutants dumped in the Thames due to misconnected plumbing 

Nearly a third of London’s outfalls show signs of contamination, meaning raw sewage and other pollutants are ending up in the Thames, putting wildlife at risk. This is according to a comprehensive survey led by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL).

Teams of volunteers surveyed river banks, using an app to geotag, photograph and assess outfalls - drains that send surface water to rivers - for evidence of pollution.

ZSL said there were signs of contamination, including sewage fungus, in 356 of the 1,177 surveyed locations. In addition, 269 locations had definite pollution problems. This equates to an average of two to three polluting outfalls for every kilometre of river surveyed.

The data suggests a large number of homes and businesses across London are sending waste from toilets, sinks and washing machines into rivers, due to misconnected plumbing. ZSL said pollution is degrading the ecological health of rivers, limiting the amount of wildlife they can support.

“Approximately 600km of rivers and streams flow through Greater London into the tidal Thames,” explained Joe Pecorelli, project manager of ZSL’s estuaries and freshwater team.

“Together, these waterways represent an invaluable habitat for wildlife, from eels and water voles, to kingfishers and dragonflies – but a history of poor water quality, badly-designed flood defences and adaptations for navigation has prevented many of them from achieving their full ecological potential.”

ZSL is calling for a “significant increase” in investment to address the misconnections in London’s plumbing systems. Home and business owners across the capital are also being urged to have their plumbing checked for misconnections.

Debbie Leach, chief executive of London’s waterways charity Thames21, added: “There is a massive environmental accident happening across London, and it is devastating our rivers. But because it is happening day after day, it isn't making the news. That has to change.”

Image courtesy of ZSL

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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.