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Northern Ireland extend Welfare of Animals Act consultation
Caged puppies
The closing date for the consultation has been extended due to recent concerns raised in relation to dog breeding.

Review extended over dog breeding concerns

Concerns over dog breeding have prompted the Irish government to extend their consultation on the review of the Implementation of the Welfare of Animals Act 2011.

Announcing the extension, a spokesman from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) said: "In 2014 Minister O’Neill and Minister Ford initiated a review of the implementation of the Welfare of Animals Act 2011.

"As a first step in that review process, DARD conducted a series of evidence gathering stakeholder discussion sessions during the summer of 2014. The purpose of this targeted consultation was to take the views of those most closely involved with the issues.

"Stakeholders raised the issue of enforcement of breeding establishments and that issue is being addressed in the review as the Welfare of Animals (Dog Breeding Establishments and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2013 are made under this Act.

"Given the recent concerns raised in relation to dog breeding, the closing date for the consultation has been extended to the 21 May 2015 to provide additional time for people to provide their views."

The consultation document can be found on the DARD website. 

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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
BVA urges 'continued vigilance' over bluetongue

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has urged vigilance following a concerning rise in Bluetongue (BTV) cases in sheep and cattle.

In a recent statement, the BVA noted that members are reporting more severe clinical signs and higher mortality rates than in previous years.

'We know that farm vets are working hard to support farmers and animals affected by this outbreak, during what is an extremely difficult time for all involved,' they stated. 'Continued vigilance to identify disease early is vital and vaccination remains the best way of protecting animals from this disease.'