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EmailIphone Application    Posted: 23rd February 2018
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Slaughterhouse CCTV law laid before parliament
“We commend the Government’s commitment to provide Official Veterinarians with unrestricted access to the footage."
Legislation to come into force in May 2018

New legislation making CCTV cameras mandatory in slaughterhouses has been laid before parliament today (23 February).

Under the proposals, official veterinarians (OVs) will have unfettered access to the last 90 days of footage, to help them monitor and enforce animal welfare standards.

The legislation will come into force in England from May 2018, once it has passed through parliament, and businesses will have six months to comply.

BVA president John Fishwick said mandatory CCTV in all areas of the slaughterhouse offers an “essential tool in fostering a culture of compassion that could help safeguard animal welfare”.

He added: “We commend the Government’s commitment to provide Official Veterinarians with unrestricted access to the footage, which the veterinary profession has long been campaigning for.
 
“It is vets’ independence and unique qualifications that help ensure the UK will continue to have the highest standards of animal health, welfare and food safety post-Brexit.”

BVA and the Veterinary Public Health Association have long campaigned for mandatory CCTV in all areas of the slaughterhouse that animals are kept, as well as giving OVs full and unrestricted access to CCTV footage.

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Cold-water dip to raise funds for Vetlife

News Story 1
 The veterinary mental health charity Vetlife is inviting the veterinary community to join it for a sponsored cold-water dip.

The event will take place at Walpole Bay, Margate, on 17 May during Mental Health Awareness Week. Participants of all abilities can join in the challenge and are advised to bring a towel, a hot drink, a snack, and warm clothes to get changed into afterwards.

Those taking part are being asked to try to raise £100 each to support the work of the charity.

Details about how to take part can be found here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Bluetongue low vector period ends

In an update to its bluetongue guidance, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced that the seasonal low vector period for the disease has ended.

With winter over, Defra is planning for a possible increase in cases as midges become more active. It has warned that farms along the east coast of England from Norfolk to Kent, and along the south coast from Kent to Devon, are at highest risk from infected midges blown over from northern Europe.

Since the virus was detected in England in November 2023, there have been 126 confirmed cases. The most recent case to be confirmed was on 1 March 2024.

Farmers are asked to continue to frequently monitor their livestock and ensure their animals and land are registered with the Animal and Plant Health Agency.