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Mr Pickles named Battersea's naughtiest dog
Mr Pickles
Cheeky beagle wreaks havoc on series finale

An errant beagle by the name of Mr Pickles has gained a reputation as one of Battersea's naughtiest dogs, due to his mischievous antics.

The one-year-old Mr Pickles was taken to Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in January after his owners moved home and could no longer look after him.

Since then, he has sadly been rehomed and brought back to Battersea twice because of his wayward behaviour, which includes shoe-stealing, jumping on tables, barking and leaving a trail of destruction behind him.

Anyone who tunes in to the series finale of Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs on July 4, will see Mr Pickles wreaking havoc whilst dog lover Paul O'Grady attempts to train him!

The mischievous Beagle has now been moved from London to Battersea's Old Windsor Centre, in the hope that the quiet countryside of West Berkshire will have a calming influence on him.

"Mr Pickles is doing much better here, although he’s still very cheeky," says Vicky Snook, senior rehomer. "His favourite thing is stealing objects he shouldn’t have and turning it into a game.

"He can be a bit of a naughty boy but he’s had a really unsettled start to life. He’s got a great character and has lots of potential. All he needs is someone with lots of experience – and plenty of patience!"

The series finale of Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs will air tonight on ITV at 8:30pm. Battersea is hoping to find Mr Pickles an owner who is willing to take on a training challenge.

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Applications open for MMI research grants

News Story 1
 RCVS' Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) has launched round two of its veterinary mental health research grants.

Researchers have until 11.59pm on Wednesday, 28 May 2025 to apply for a grant for research which reflects MMI's 2025 focus areas.

Only one Impact Grant was awarded last year, and so this year there are two Discovery Grants and one Impact Grants available. Each Discovery Grant is worth £5,000 and the Impact Grant is worth £15,000.

For more information or to apply, email researchgrants@rcvs.org.uk to contact the MMI team.

 

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News Shorts
BBC Radio 4 documentary addresses corporate fees

BBC Radio 4's File on 4 Investigates has released a documentary exploring how corporate-owned veterinary practices may be inflating bills to increase profit.

Released on 15 April, 'What's Happening To Your Vet Bills?' revealed the policies which many corporate groups have in place to increase their profits. This included targets and upgrades which veterinary teams are tasked with meeting on a regular basis.

It also features Anrich Vets, an independently-owned practice based in Wigan. Following the case of Staffordshire terrier Benjy, who is diagnosed with a tumour, the documentary shares how the team were able to offer contextualised care and advice to make the procedure as affordable as possible for his owners.

The documentary can be heard on demand on BBC iPlayer.