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Dr John Bradshaw receives RSPCA Honour
Dr Bradshaw received the award at the RSPCA Honours in London, hosted by Alastair Stewart OBE.

Author and TV personality wins Animal Welfare Science Award

Animal welfare expert Dr John Bradshaw has been honoured with an Animal Welfare Science Award by the RSPCA.

The renowned scientist has spent much of his career studying the behaviour of dogs and cats and is passionate about sharing this information with pet owners. He has written several books, including the bestseller ‘In Defence of Dogs’, and has appeared in television documentaries 'The Secret Life of the Cat' and 'Cat Watch 2014'.

Dr Bradshaw received the award at the RSPCA Honours in London, hosted by Alastair Stewart OBE. The awards recognise and honour those who help to make the lives of animals better; through kindness, courage, determination and innovation.

RSPCA chief scientific officer Dr Julia Wrathall said: “This Honour is hugely well deserved by John. His work has been invaluable to the RSPCA, helping to inform our own understanding of and approach to various areas of animal welfare.

“John’s work now focuses on the extremely important task of making animal welfare science accessible to pet owners.

“This is greatly welcomed by the RSPCA as we believe that in order to care for animals properly it is vital to have an evidence-based understanding of their biology and behaviour. He is very inspirational and a true advocate for animals”.

Dr Bradshaw said: “I am delighted that this award recognises the importance of companion animal welfare science, which for many years was eclipsed by studies of other types of animal. It goes without saying that owners have their pets' best interests at heart, but science, and communication of that science, have a crucial part to play in explaining how their animals feel, and thus how best to care for them."

Image (C) Tom Mulvee/RSPCA

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Reporting service for dead wild birds updated

News Story 1
 The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has updated its online reporting service for dead wild birds.

The new version allows those reporting a dead bird to drop a pin on a map when reporting the location. It also includes a wider range of wild bird species groups to select from when describing the bird.

The online service, which helps APHA to monitor the spread of diseases such as avian influenza, can be accessed here

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NI chief vet urges bluetongue vigilance

Northern Ireland's chief veterinary officer (CVO) has urged farmers to be vigilant for signs of bluetongue, after the Animal and Plant Health Agency warned there was a very high probability of further cases in Great Britain.

There have been 126 confirmed cases of bluetongue virus serotype 3 in England since November 2023, with no cases reported in Northern Ireland. The movement of live ruminants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland is currently suspended.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the virus is most likely to enter Northern Ireland through infected animals or germplasm (semen or ova) being imported.

Brian Dooher, Northern Ireland's CVO, said: "Surveillance for this disease within Northern Ireland has been increased to assist with detection at the earliest opportunity which will facilitate more effective control measures."

Farmers should report any suspicions of the disease to their private veterinary practitioner, the DAERA Helpline on 0300 200 7840 or their local DAERA Direct Veterinary Office.