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Wild Welfare launches workshop in Laos
Wild Welfare worked in partnership with Free the Bears to deliver the programme.
Laos visit is first for welfare organisation.

Wild Welfare, an international animal welfare charity, has expanded its programme into Laos. The organisation launched an in-person edition of its Wild About Welfare digital education programme.

Laos is a new country of operation for Wild Welfare, and the organisation collaborated with Free the Bears, a charity that rescues bears from bear bile farms and the illegal wildlife trade to deliver the workshop.

The first workshop was held in Luang Prabang in November 2022, and the five-day course saw a mix of participants; veterinary surgeons, animal care staff and higher managers from Free the Bears and a local elephant sanctuary.

Taught in both English and spoken Lao translations, the workshop lasted for five days, and introduced participants to take part in practical tasks, including enclosure assessments for macaques and enrichment planning for different species.

Sarah Bonser-Blake, animal welfare field manager at Wild Welfare, discussed the programme: “It was quite an emotional experience for me seeing everyone really engaging with the content. There was a real sense of learning together as everyone helped each other out with explanations, translations and concepts which might be difficult to understand.”

This workshop was the first practical roll-out of the programme, and Wild Welfare will use the feedback to continue its development.

Online, the Wild About Welfare course is free-to-access on Wild Welfare's website, and it has seen use from 63 different countries since it's launch in January 2021.

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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
UK's BSE risk status downgraded

The WOAH has downgraded the UK's international risk status for BSE to 'negligible'.

Defra says that the UK's improved risk status recognises the reputation for having the highest standards for biosecurity. It adds that it demonstrates decades of rigorous animal control.

Outbreaks of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, also known as mad cow disease, have previously resulted in bans on Britain's beef exports.

The UK's new status could lead to expanded trade and better confidence in British beef.

Christine Middlemiss, the UK's chief veterinary officer, said: "WOAH's recognition of the UK as negligible risk for BSE is a significant milestone and is a testament to the UK's strong biosecurity measures and the hard work and vigilance of farmers and livestock keepers across the country who have all played their part in managing the spread of this disease.