VET Festival hailed a success
VET Fest saw hundreds of vets and vet nurses come together to enjoy cutting edge CPD.
The inaugural VET Festival, held in the grounds of the University of Surrey last weekend, has been hailed a success by founder professor Noel Fitzpatrick.
Held on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th September, the event saw hundreds of vets and vet nurses come together to enjoy cutting edge CPD provided by world leading veterinary professionals.
The lectures and exhibition arenas were combined with ONE LIVE - an exciting music event held on Saturday night which supported the Humanimal Trust.
Lectures were divided into four strands: oncology and soft tissue surgery, orthopaedics, neurology and veterinary nursing. Each stream was designed to provide information relevant to guiding day to day decision-making and providing optimal patient care and client service.
Chimpanzee expert Dr Jane Goodall DBE received a standing ovation for her closing keynote speech, with the overarching theme of 'One Medicine' - the emerging global concept of combining human and animal medicine for the good of both species.
Commenting on the weekend, founder Professor. Noel Fitzpatrick said: “I was really keen that vets and vet nurses would go away feeling fulfilled, satisfied, educated, entertained and reinvigorated and I really think that did happen! I have a sense that the inaugural VET Festival brought the joy back into veterinary medicine and I was truly delighted by the support we received. The number of attendees was a testament to the quality speakers and exhibitors who came on the journey with us.
Over two special days last weekend, we reminded people why they dreamt about becoming vets and vet nurses in the first place and the feedback we have had so far has been wonderful.
"The theme of One Medicine and our moral responsibility for the animals on the planet is absolutely fundamental and that’s why bringing all veterinary professionals who share that dream together for a couple of days each year really will make the world a better place one dog and one cat at a time. We can’t wait to do it again next year!”
Companies marketing medicines for small pets exempt from authorisation must submit their annual return to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) by 30 November 2026.
