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Horse microchipping to become mandatory
"...it is completely unacceptable that hundreds of horses and ponies are left abandoned every year by irresponsible owners."
New rules aim to improve horse welfare 

Defra has introduced new legislation making it compulsory for horses, ponies and donkeys to be microchipped by October 2020, in a bid to prevent abuse and improve welfare.

A new Central Equine Database will allow local authorities and police to trace the owners of abandoned horses and make it easier to rehome the animals, or reunite those that are lost or stolen with their owners.

Those who fail to comply with the new rules will face sanctions from the local authority, including a compliance notice or fines of up to £200.

Earlier this year, the RSPCA revealed it had rescued around 1,000 horses in 2017, the vast majority of which were not microchipped, making it almost impossible to trace their owners. Inspectors often saw horses that had been abandoned whilst very sick, dying or even dead.

Animal welfare minister Lord Gardiner said: “The government shares the British public’s high regard for animal welfare and it is completely unacceptable that hundreds of horses and ponies are left abandoned every year by irresponsible owners.

“That is why we have today laid new regulations in Parliament requiring horses to be microchipped. This will bolster the ability of local authorities and police to identify abandoned animals, ensuring these beautiful creatures receive the care they deserve and that those who mistreat them will face the consequences.”

Chair of the British Horse Council, Jeanette Allen, said the legislation is a “huge advance” for the UK’s horses, ponies and donkeys.

She added: “It will not only enable irresponsible owners to be held properly accountable for the treatment of their animal, it will also aid in reuniting owners with lost or stolen horses and significantly supports the UK’s efforts to protect our equines from disease outbreaks.”

The regulations were laid in parliament on 25 June and, subject to parliamentary approval, will come into force on 1 October 2018.

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RCVS Knowledge appoints Veterinary Evidence editor-in-chief

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has welcomed Professor Peter Cockcroft as editor-in-chief for Veterinary Evidence.

A world-renowned expert in evidence-based veterinary medicine, Prof Cockcroft will lead the strategic development and editorial quality of the open-access journal. He was previously in the role from 2017-2020.

Katie Mantell, CEO of RCVS Knowledge, said: "We are excited about the extensive knowledge of evidence-based veterinary medicine and clinical veterinary research that Peter brings, and we look forward to working with him over this next phase of the journal's development." 

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News Shorts
CVS Group hit by cyber attack

CVS Group, which owns more than 450 veterinary practices in the UK, has been hit by a cyber attack.

In a statement, the group said the incident involved unauthorised external access to a limited number of its IT systems. As soon as the attack was discovered, the group took its IT systems temporarily offline, causing 'considerable operational disruption'.

It has warned that the security steps taken and ongoing plans to move its operational systems and IT infrastructure to the Cloud are likely to have an ongoing impact over a number of weeks.

Due to the risk that personal information was accessed, CVS has informed the Information Commissioner's Office. The company is working with third party consultants to investigate the incident.