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CCTV in English abattoirs now mandatory
CCTV camera
All slaughterhouses in England will be required to comply with the new law by 5 November.

Official Veterinarians will have unlimited access to footage

Legislation that requires CCTV in all English abattoirs came into force on Friday (4 May) in a move that is set to cement the UK’s position as a global leader in animal welfare standards.

The initiative comes after a government consultation on plans to install CCTV cameras in slaughterhouses in all areas where animals are present. Other recent reforms to improve animal welfare include proposals to increase the maximum prison sentence for animal cruelty to five years and ending the third-party sales of puppies.

Under the new arrangement, Official Veterinarians will be given unlimited access to the CCTV footage. In turn, this will enable them to reassure customers that high animal welfare standards are being met.

All slaughterhouses in England will be required to comply with the new law by 5 November, 2018. An adjustment period of six months has been allowed by the government to enable businesses to install a suitable CCTV system.

Commenting on the move, animal welfare minister Lord Gardiner said: “The government shares the public’s high regard for animal welfare and we are proud to have some of the highest standards in the world. Today we welcome the new law which requires mandatory CCTV in all abattoirs in England."


“We are a nation that cares about animals and these strong measures will ensure all animals are treated with the utmost respect at all stages of life allows us to continue to lead the way to raise the bar in high welfare standards.”

The move has also been welcomed by the BVA and the Veterinary Public Health Association, who have been campaigning on this issue for several years.

BVA president John Fishwick said: “We are delighted to hear that CCTV will now become mandatory in all abattoirs across England, providing Official Veterinarians (OVs) with an essential tool to help them monitor animal welfare and enable them to identify any breaches in the regulations. OVs perform a vital role in abattoirs and unrestricted access to CCTV will allow them to perform this role even more effectively.

“Having campaigned for many years for the introduction of CCTV into slaughterhouses we are very happy to see our work come to fruition and we now hope to see similar legal requirements introduced in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.”

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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.