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Equine charities welcome agreement with OIE
The agreement is set to improve animal welfare globally.
Agreement hailed as 'a great day for animal welfare'

Equine charities have welcomed an agreement with the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) that is set to improve animal welfare across the world.

Last week, the International Coalition for Animal Welfare (ICFAW) and the OIE signed a cooperation agreement that will further advance their close working relationship. As ICFAW members, The Donkey Sanctuary and World Horse Welfare have hailed the agreement, which will give them more power to influence OIE animal welfare activities.

“This is a great day for animal and equine welfare. As a member of ICFAW, World Horse Welfare is delighted that the OIE has formally recognised our coalition as a partner in helping to set and improve animal welfare standards worldwide, particularly those regarding horses, donkeys and mules,” said World Horse Welfare chief executive Roly Owers. 

Valentina Riva, advocacy manager at The Donkey Sanctuary, adds: “The agreement gives us more influence, official status and a formal platform to engage directly with the OIE and to participate in its activities. Most of the OIE animal welfare-related activities now aim to focus on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”

The agreement between the OIE and the ICFAW will cover cooperation activities on the roles and responsibilities of the veterinary profession on animal welfare, cooperation on the development and revision of international animal welfare standards and guidelines that are relevant to both organisations.

ICFAW chair Alexandra Hammond-Seaman, says: “In recent years ICFAW and OIE have established excellent collaboration and many ICFAW members are supporting and participating in OIE lead initiatives developed to assist implementation.

“We are delighted that in this General Session a formal cooperation agreement between ICFAW and OIE has been adopted and we believe that by working together we can better meet the animal welfare challenges ahead and promote good animal welfare practices, which ultimately benefit animals and people.” 

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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
RCVS pays tribute to well-loved equine vet

The RCVS and the Riding Establishments Subcommittee has paid tribute to well-loved veterinary surgeon and riding establishment inspector, Rebecca Hamilton-Fletcher MRCVS.

Linda Belton MRCVS, RCVS President, said: "I, along with my colleagues on the RESC, RCVS Council, RCVS Standards Committee, as well as RCVS staff, was very saddened to hear of the sudden death of Rebecca, or Becca as we knew her, last week.

"She was a true advocate for equine welfare and in her many years on the RESC worked to continually improve the quality and consistency of riding establishment inspections, all in the interests of enhanced horse welfare and rider safety."