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Lafora DNA testing to become ABS requirement
Dachshund
Lafora DNA testing will be an assured breeder scheme requirement for miniature wirehaired dachshunds from 2015.

Changes come into effect from January 2015

Lafora DNA testing will be an assured breeder scheme requirement for miniature wirehaired dachshunds from 2015, the Dachshund Breed Council has announced.

The change is effective from January 1, 2015 and Assured Breeders have a period of grace of six months in order to come into line with these new requirements and/or recommendations.

The Dachshund Breed Council say that there is now "no excuse for ANY breeder to say 'its not a big problem and the test is just recommendation'".

The Kennel Club are expected to announce full details of the changes shortly.

The Lafora Screening Test analysed the latest set of litter registrations from the Kennel Club's Breed Records Supplement.

In the Autumn 2014 quarter, 67 per cent of litters bred were "safe" (i.e. will not contain affected puppies). The Dachshund Breed Council's probability model suggests that, of the 184 puppies born in the quarter, five can be expected to have Lafora's disease.

The model predicts that 45 affected puppies will have been bred in the last two years by people either not using the available test, or mating unsafe combinations of tested and untested dogs.

Image (C) Dachshund Breed Council

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Birmingham Dogs Home makes urgent appeal

News Story 1
 Birmingham Dogs Home has issued an urgent winter appeal as it faces more challenges over the Christmas period.

The rescue centre has seen a dramatic increase in dogs coming into its care, and is currently caring for over 200 dogs. With rising costs and dropping temperatures, the charity is calling for urgent support.

It costs the charity £6,000 per day to continue its work.

Fi Harrison, head of fundraising and communications, said: "It's heart-breaking for our team to see the conditions some dogs arrive in. We really are their last chance and hope of survival."

More information about the appeal can be found here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Avian flu confirmed at premises in Cornwall

A case of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 has been detected in commercial poultry at a premises near Rosudgeon, Cornwall.

All poultry on the infected site will be humanely culled, and a 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone have been put in place. Poultry and other captive birds in the 3km protection zone must be housed.

The case is the second avian flu case confirmed in commercial poultry this month. The H5N5 strain was detected in a premises near Hornsea, East Riding of Yorkshire, in early November. Before then, the disease had not been confirmed in captive birds in England since February.

The UK chief veterinary officer has urged bird keepers to remain alert and practise robust biosecurity.

A map of the disease control zones can be found here.