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Scottish government to introduce animals in circuses bill
Circus tiger
The bill will put in place enforcement provisions and sanctions for non-compliance with the ban.

Bill will ban the use of wild animals 

The Scottish Government has published its intentions to introduce a wild animals in circuses bill.

The bill will ban the use of wild animals in travelling circuses and put in place enforcement provisions and sanctions for non-compliance with the ban.

Welcoming the news, BVA Scottish Branch President Grace Webster said: “An opportunity to improve animal welfare has been presented and BVA commends the Scottish Government for seizing it.
 
“This is an issue that BVA has long campaigned on and, while it may not affect a great number of individual animals in the UK, the use of wild animals in travelling circuses is emblematic of the way we treat all animals under human care. The welfare needs of non-domesticated, wild animals cannot be met within a travelling circus.
 
“If we want to be truly proud of the UK’s reputation for some of the highest animal welfare standards in the world, governments in England, Wales and Northern Ireland must follow Scotland’s precedent and deliver on their long-time promises.”

In addition to banning the use of wild animals in circuses, the Scottish Government has also announced plans to continue their review of pet welfare. This includes consideration of the results of recent consultations on electronic training collars and tail docking of working dogs.

The plans are outlined in 'The Government's Programme for Scotland 2016-2017 which can be found at http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0050/00505210.pdf

 

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Applications open for MMI research grants

News Story 1
 RCVS' Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) has launched round two of its veterinary mental health research grants.

Researchers have until 11.59pm on Wednesday, 28 May 2025 to apply for a grant for research which reflects MMI's 2025 focus areas.

Only one Impact Grant was awarded last year, and so this year there are two Discovery Grants and one Impact Grants available. Each Discovery Grant is worth £5,000 and the Impact Grant is worth £15,000.

For more information or to apply, email researchgrants@rcvs.org.uk to contact the MMI team.

 

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News Shorts
BBC Radio 4 documentary addresses corporate fees

BBC Radio 4's File on 4 Investigates has released a documentary exploring how corporate-owned veterinary practices may be inflating bills to increase profit.

Released on 15 April, 'What's Happening To Your Vet Bills?' revealed the policies which many corporate groups have in place to increase their profits. This included targets and upgrades which veterinary teams are tasked with meeting on a regular basis.

It also features Anrich Vets, an independently-owned practice based in Wigan. Following the case of Staffordshire terrier Benjy, who is diagnosed with a tumour, the documentary shares how the team were able to offer contextualised care and advice to make the procedure as affordable as possible for his owners.

The documentary can be heard on demand on BBC iPlayer.