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Rare bird populations at risk of lead shot poisoning
The report notes particular concern about the impact of lead poisoning on the common pochard population.

Lead Ammunition Group publishes latest Update Report

Up to 400,000 wildfowl in the UK every year are thought to suffer from the effects of lead poisoning, according to a new report.

The report, compiled by the Lead Ammunition Group (LAG), suggests that lead poisoning may be affecting populations of freshwater duck, grey partridge, common buzzard and red kite. It also notes particular concern for the globally-threatened common pochard.

“Declining or recovering populations appear most sensitive to the effects of poisoning,” the report adds.

According to the British Association for Shooting & Conservation, at least 600,000 people in the UK go shooting every year. Many of these people use lead bullets to shoot, which disperse as they leave the barrel and drop to the ground. Birds then eat the particles, mistaking them for grit which they require for digestion.

Its latest Update Report, LAG cites several studies that confirm many types of non-lead bullets are effective, widely available and safer to the environment than lead ammunition. It adds that partial bans on lead ammunition, that cover only certain taxa or habitats, have proven to be ineffective.

Several international agreements have adopted Resolutions calling for governments to phase out lead ammunititon, or work towards this goal. These include the UN Convention on Migratory Species, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, and the United Nations Environment Programme Assembly.

In 2016, mindful that lead-contaminated game can also enter the human food chain, Forest Enterprise England asked its staff to use non-lead ammunition for deer and boar culling.

"There appears to be international scientific consensus on the wildlife and human health risks associated with the use of lead ammunition and the need for a transition to non-lead alternatives; the remaining barriers are largely socio-political,” the report concludes.

LAG was established by Defra in 2010 following concerns about the impacts of lead ammunition on the health of wildlife and people. Comprising key stockholder and experts, the group explores possible solutions and advises the government accordingly.

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Practices urged to audit neutering data

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.

It follows the release of the 2024 NASAN benchmarking report, which collates data from neutering procedures performed on dogs, cats and rabbits.

The benchmarking report enables practices in the UK and Ireland to compare their post-operative outcomes to the national average. This includes the rate of patients lost to follow-up, which in 2024 increased to 23 per cent.

Anyone from the practice can submit the data using a free template. The deadline for next report is February 2026.

Visit the RCVS Knowledge website to complete an audit. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
New guidance for antibiotic use in rabbits

New best practice guidance on the responsible use of antibiotics in rabbits has been published by the BSAVA in collaboration with the Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund (RWA&F).

The guidance is free and has been produced to help veterinary practitioners select the most appropriate antibiotic for rabbits. It covers active substance, dose and route of administration all of which are crucial factors when treating rabbits owing to the risk of enterotoxaemia.

For more information and to access the guide, visit the BSAVALibrary.