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Adoption charity launch pet fostering guide
Dog and child
"Many children grow up considering their pet to be their best friend and close confidante."
Guide highlights the benefits a pet can bring for looked-after children

The British Association for Adoption and Fostering (BAAF) has launched a good practice guide to help foster carers, social workers, adopters, special guardians and panel members develop proportionate policies in relation to dogs and other pets.

The charity say that the move comes after some fostering services and practitioners expressed confusion around best practice, and implementing unhelpful and risk-adverse policies.

The guide, Dogs and pets in fostering and adoption, highlights the physical and emotional benefits a pet can bring for looked-after children.
 
Paul Adams, Foster Care Development Consultant, and author of the guide commented: “Dogs and other pets can provide a loyal, non judgmental and constant companion for fostered and adopted children, and help to promote attachment between humans.

"It is important that local authorities develop measured policies to help foster carers, social workers, adopters and special guardians to manage their pets in adoptive and fostering contexts. We hope this good practice guide will help them to achieve this”.
 
Caroline Selkirk, BAAF’s new chief executive, added: “With one in four UK children growing up with a pet, it is a shame for children in care to miss out, particularly when it is these children who could benefit the most from the experience.”
 
The guide, created with input from the Blue Cross, incorporates the experience of adopters and foster carers.
 
Tracy Genever, education manager at Blue Cross, said: “There are so many benefits to having a pet in the family and many children grow up considering their pet to be their best friend and close confidante. We are pleased that help is now available which may enable more pet owners to foster and adopt children and more children to enjoy growing up with a family pet”.
 
The guidelines are available to purchase on the BAAF website and a podcast is available at: https://audioboom.com/BAAFadoption.

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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
UK's BSE risk status downgraded

The WOAH has downgraded the UK's international risk status for BSE to 'negligible'.

Defra says that the UK's improved risk status recognises the reputation for having the highest standards for biosecurity. It adds that it demonstrates decades of rigorous animal control.

Outbreaks of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, also known as mad cow disease, have previously resulted in bans on Britain's beef exports.

The UK's new status could lead to expanded trade and better confidence in British beef.

Christine Middlemiss, the UK's chief veterinary officer, said: "WOAH's recognition of the UK as negligible risk for BSE is a significant milestone and is a testament to the UK's strong biosecurity measures and the hard work and vigilance of farmers and livestock keepers across the country who have all played their part in managing the spread of this disease.