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Westminster welcomes third Battersea mouser
Gladstone
Gladstone can look forward to greeting visitors and pawing over pound signs.

Gladstone named after former Prime Minister

Her Majesty's Treasury has adopted a new cat to help conquer the menacing mouse problem at Westminster.

Joining Downing Street's Larry and the Foreign Office cat Palmerston, Gladstone is the third moggie to be adopted from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home.

The one-year-old domestic shorthair was found wandering the streets of London earlier this year, hungry and with no microchip.

"We are thrilled that Gladstone has now taken up residence in the Treasury and have high hopes that he'll be ready to take on the gardens of the Horse Guard Road offices," said Lindsay Quinlan, Battersea's head of catteries.

"He's a confident cat who absolutely loves people so he'll have to tear himself away from his cat cuddles to get down to business becoming a marvellous mouser," she adds.

Gladstone is named after Wiliam Ewart Gladstone who provoked strong reactions and served as Prime Minister for four separate periods - more than any other Prime Minister.

When he is not polishing his whiskers and stalking the corridors for mice, Gladstone can now look forward to greeting visitors and pawing over pound signs.

A Treasury spokesperson said: "We are confident that Gladstone will live up to the legacy of his namesake and go down in history as one of the most impressive cats to roam Whitehall".

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Webinar to explore AMR in vet dentistry

News Story 1
 The WSAVA has invited veterinary professionals to a webinar on responsible antibiotic usage in dentistry.

On 19 November 2025, at 1am, Dr J Scott Weese and Dr Brooke Niemiec will share the latest advice for antimicrobial use. They will present research on oral bacterology, and explain how attendees can choose appropriate antibiotics.

The session will cover pre-, intra- and post-operative guidelines, with recommendations for various pathologies.

The webinar is designed to support veterinary professionals to make informed decisions and tackle antimicrobial resistance.

Attendees can register here

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Bluetongue reaches Wales for first time in 2025

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has revealed that bluetongue has been confirmed in Wales for the first time in 2025.

In their latest statistics, APHA records a total of 109 cases of BTV-3 or BTV-8 in Great Britain in the 2025-2026 vector season.

The total number of BTV-3 cases in Great Britain this season is 107. This includes 103 cases within the England restricted zone and four cases in Wales.

There has also been two cases of BTV-8, which were both in Cornwall.

As a result of the cases in Wales, a Temporary Control Zone (TCZ) is enforced in Monmouthshire. Animals can move freely under general license within the England Restricted Zone, however animals with suspected bluetongue must stay on their holding.

All premises testing positive for blue tongue can be viewed on this map.