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EmailIphone Application    Posted: 27th May 2014
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Ban on seal hunting products upheld
seal
The RSPCA said it is "delighted" that the ban on importing seal products has been upheld.
RSPCA welcomes WTO decision to reject appeal

Animal welfare organisations have welcomed a decision by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to uphold a ban on the import of products of the seal hunting industry.

An EU ban in 2010 prohibited the trade in items such as seal pelts, oil and meat, including those from Canada, Namibia and Norway.

In response to the decision, the Canadian and Norwegian governments challenged the ban. However, the four-year ban on seal fur will be upheld after the WTO rejected the appeal.

RSPCA head of public affairs David Bowles said: "This is an historic decision - it is the first time that a moral defence has been upheld in entirety and that in itself is game changing…

"We hope this landmark ruling will now give governments greater confidence to pursue and agree measures to improve animal welfare, including trade bans".

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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.