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RVN wins award for improving animal welfare in India
“Living and working in the middle of the Rajasthan desert feels a million miles away from my days working as a veterinary nurse with pet animals in a UK veterinary hospital”.

Charity founder receives RCVS International Award

Veterinary nurse Rachel Wright, who founded the Tree of Life for Animals (TOLFA) in India, has received an International Award from the RCVS, recognising her work to improve animal welfare overseas.

TOLFA is a veterinary hospital and animal shelter in Rajasthan, India. Since its inception 12 years ago, it has treated more than 155,000 sick or injured animals, sterilised more than 21,000 animals and rabies-vaccinated over 26,000 street dogs.

In addition, the charity’s education projects have taught more than 5,600 children about dog bites and rabies prevention, as well as the importance of the ‘five freedoms’ for animals.

The RCVS board “unanimously agreed” that Rachel should be a recipient of this year’s International Award.

President Stephen May said: “Our International Awards really demonstrate that our work as veterinary health professionals does not stop at the borders of the UK and that sharing knowledge, skills, time and effort with our international colleagues improves the health and welfare of animals across the world.

“The hospital that Rachel Wright founded works to eradicate rabies and educate the community on animal health and welfare while treating anything between 300 and 400 animals at any one time.”

Rachel said her award came as “a complete surprise”.

“Living and working in the middle of the Rajasthan desert feels a million miles away from my days working as a veterinary nurse with pet animals in a UK veterinary hospital,” she said.

“To be honoured with an award from the body that governs the profession that I hold so dear is truly a humbling experience. I am thrilled and grateful to both the colleagues that nominated me and to the RCVS for appreciating my work in the field of international animal welfare.”

She will collect her award at the college’s AGM in London on Friday 13 July.

Image courtesy of GeorgePR

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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.