Animal welfare organisation StreetVet held its first ever skills conference in September as a thank you for all its hardworking volunteers.

The event in central London included clinical lectures by leading specialists, interspersed with talks on wellbeing, mental health and panel discussions. It also included some emotional talks by people whose lives had been turned around by the charity.

StreetVet cofounder Sam Joseph said: "The conference was an overwhelming success. The speakers were fantastic, and really tailored their talks to veterinary work on the street."

New figures published by the RSPCA show that the charity has received more than 1,000 calls already this year in relation to animal hoarding.

RSPCA vet Kayleigh Hill is leading a scheme in Manchester to help those hoarding animals. She said that, since the scheme started, she and her team have visited 60 houses in the area, with each household having an average of 19 cats.

A pair of Amur leopards have been captured on camera for the first time since their birth. The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland announced the birth in July, but with human presence being kept to a minimum, it was not known how many cubs had been born.

Motion sensitive cameras have now revealed that two cubs emerged from the den - at least one of which may be released into the wild in Russia within the next two or three years. The Amur leopard habitat is not open to the public, to help ensure the cubs retain their wild instincts and behaviour. Image RZSS

Surveillance activity is underway in south Cornwall after a confirmed sighting of an Asian hornet in the Fowey area. APHA bee inspectors are working to identify any nests so they can be destroyed.

Asian hornets pose no greater threat to human health than a bee but they present a serious risk to honey bee colonies.

Nicola Spence, Defra's deputy director for plant and bee health, said: "Following the successful containment of the Asian hornet incursion in North Devon last year and Tetbury previously, we have a well-established protocol in place to eradicate them and control any potential spread."

The International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM) - the veterinary division of International Cat Care - has announced its first annual conference dedicated to veterinary nurses. The day offers an opportunity to meet up with colleagues and enjoy more than five hours of stimulating CPD.

The conference is being held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Stratford-Upon-Avon, on Saturday 15 September 2018. Tickets are 95 per person and include lunch, coffee breaks, downloadable proceedings and CPD certificate. For details and to book your place visit www.eventbrite.co.uk

Sri Lankan veterinary surgeon Dr Nalinika Obeyesekere has become the first recipient of the WSAVA's new award for companion animal welfare.

Developed by the WSAVA's Animal Wellness and Welfare Committee (AWWC), the award recognises individual veterinary surgeons who have made a significant contribution to animal welfare and inspired others to play their part.

"Nalinika's approach to animal welfare is grounded in science and this has enabled her to lobby successfully on a range of welfare issues with government agencies and other stakeholders," said co-chair of the WSAVA AWWC, Dr Melinda Merck. "Nalinika is a beacon of excellence in Sri Lanka and beyond."