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RCVS names 2018 election candidates
Ballot papers and candidate details are being posted to all veterinary surgeons that are eligible to vote this week.

Ten vets vying for a place on council

The RCVS has revealed the names of 10 veterinary surgeons that are standing for election to the council this year.

Four existing council members - Mandisa Greene, Neil Smith, David Catlow and Susan Paterson - are eligible for re-election. The remaining six vets hoping to be elected are: John Davies, Karlien Heyrman, John Innes, Thomas Lonsdale, Matthew Plumtree and Iain Richards.

There will be no VN Council election this year owing to governance changes, which include a reduction in the number of elected members.

The college is currently still waiting for its Legislative Reform Order (LRO), which concerns changes to governance, to be approved. Under the current arrangements, six candidates will be elected to RCVS Council, but if the LRO completes the legislative process and is passed by the Houses of Parliament, only the three candidates with the most votes will take a place on council.

Biographies and candidate statements can be found at: www.rcvs.org.uk/vetvote18

Ballot papers and candidate details are being posted to all veterinary surgeons that are eligible to vote this week. The Electoral Reform Services will also send personalised emails with a link to their secure voting website for online votes. All votes must be cast by 5pm on 27 April 2018.

The college is inviting vets to ‘quiz the candidates’ by sending questions to all those standing for election. One question per vet can be emailed to vetvote18@rcvs.org.uk or tweeted using the hashtag #vetvote18.

Each candidate will pick two questions to answer and produce a video recording on their answers. Videos will be published on the RCVS website and YouTube channel.

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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.