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RCVS announce new vice-president
Chris Tufnell
Chris hopes that his experience and outlook as a practitoner 'on the ground' will shape his term in office.
Chris Tufnell elected during RCVS Council meeting

RCVS Council member Chris Tufnell has been elected as the next RCVS vice-president and will take up his position in July.

Chris, who is an equine practitioner from Newbury in Berkshire, was elected at the RCVS Council meeting on March 5. He will replace Dr Bradley Viner, who was elected as president for 2015/16.

After completing a degree in Agricultural and Environmental Science at Newcastle University, Chris worked for a year in Zambia before returning to study for a veterinary degree at Glasgow University.

Following his graduation in 1999, Chris worked in mixed practice in Hertfordshire, where he was exposed to the rigours of agricultural practice in an area of family farms. He now runs an equine and companion animal practice in Berkshire, which employs five vets and seven support staff.

As vice-president, Chris hopes that his experience and outlook as a practitoner 'on the ground' will shape his term in office.

He says: "Just as many others before me, it is the experience of the day-job which drives me to contribute to the work of the RCVS."

Subject to formal appointment, both Chris and Bradley will take up their positions at RCVS Day, the College’s Annual General Meeting and Awards Day, on Friday, 10 July.

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Annual submission deadline small pet animal exemptions

News Story 1
 Companies marketing medicines for small pets exempt from authorisation must submit their annual return to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) by 30 November 2026.

Submitting this annual return ensures continued compliance with regulatory requirements for products marketed without a full Marketing Authorisation. The exemption specifically applies to products intended for animals, cage birds, terrarium animals, small rodents, ferrets and rabbits.

For further details and submission guidelines, visit the gov.uk website.  

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News Shorts
Bluetongue RZ extended across Scotland

The Scottish Government has announced an extension to a Bluetongue Restricted Zone that is in place in south-west Scotland.

From 3 October, the Restricted Zone will be extended to cover the whole of Scotland. The Animal, Plant and Health Agency (APHA) says this is in response to further disease spread, as well as simplify trading conditions ahead of the autumn.

Since the whole country will share a disease status, it will no longer be necessary to have a movement license to move susceptible livestock around the country. Restrictions on germinal products remain.

As of 1 October 2026, there were 1,979 cases of BTV-3 in England, 389 cases in Wales and 40 cases in Scotland.