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Badger cull should be delayed following flooding
A decision over badger culling  should be delayed to review the outcome of the floods on badger numbers, a charity has said.
A decision over badger culling  should be delayed to review the outcome of the floods on badger numbers, a charity has said.

Cubs have drowned and setts been flooded out, charity says

Badgers could be falling victim to severe flooding in the south and west of England, a charity has warned.

Humane Society International/UK  (HSI/UK) said setts have been damaged or flooded out, clans disrupted and cubs drowned.

Mark Jones, veterinary surgeon and HSI/UK Executive Director, said: “The fate of our beleaguered badgers in this flooding is of real concern, especially in Somerset and Gloucestershire where these animals have already endured weeks of shooting under the government’s culling policy.

"Some setts will almost certainly have been damaged or flooded out completely, meaning that whole badger families could be disturbed. There will be cubs in those setts right now and it’s possible that some cubs will have drowned too.

"This could have significant impacts on badger populations later in the year. In the light of such dire weather impacts, we urge DEFRA to delay making any badger cull roll-out decision and to commission a thorough impact assessment. Our poor badgers have been through enough.”

The Independent Expert Panel report on the effectiveness and humaneness of the pilot culls, is expected to be published soon.

At the same time, Environment Secretary Owen Paterson is due to announce a decision on whether culling will be extended to a greater number of areas.

 

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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
RCVS pays tribute to well-loved equine vet

The RCVS and the Riding Establishments Subcommittee has paid tribute to well-loved veterinary surgeon and riding establishment inspector, Rebecca Hamilton-Fletcher MRCVS.

Linda Belton MRCVS, RCVS President, said: "I, along with my colleagues on the RESC, RCVS Council, RCVS Standards Committee, as well as RCVS staff, was very saddened to hear of the sudden death of Rebecca, or Becca as we knew her, last week.

"She was a true advocate for equine welfare and in her many years on the RESC worked to continually improve the quality and consistency of riding establishment inspections, all in the interests of enhanced horse welfare and rider safety."