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Polecat makes surprise visit to council offices
Employees at the Welshpool Youth Centre were left shocked after they spotted a polecat lurking on the premises.
RSPCA officer returns animal safely to the wild 

An unusual critter made a surprise appearance at Powys Council offices in Wales on Tuesday (11 September), prompting staff to contact the RSPCA.

Employees at the Welshpool Youth Centre were left shocked after they spotted a polecat lurking on the premises. Fortunately, the polecat was in good health and confined to a room, before being rescued by an RSPCA officer.

RSPCA inspector Phil Lewis collected the polecat and returned it to a nearby field. He said that returning wildlife to where it belongs can be “one of the most rewarding parts of the job.”

“Fortunately, the wild animal was safe and well, and was carefully confined before I came to complete the rescue, and return him to where he belongs,” he said.

“Rescuing and releasing wild animals is often one of the most rewarding parts of the job – and we’re grateful to the staff member who called us, and helped ensure an adventurous day ended safely for the polecat!”

Cllr Phyl Davies, Powys County Council’s cabinet member for property and assets, said: “This is probably one of the most unusual visitors to one of our buildings. It came as a shock to staff when they found it in the office. 

I would like to thank staff from the RSPCA for safely collecting the polecat from the office and releasing it back into the wild.”

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FIVP Practice Matters podcast returns for Series 2

News Story 1
 The Federation of Independent Veterinary Practices (FIVP) has announced that its podcast, FIVP Practice Matters, will be returning for a second series next year.

The bi-weekly podcast will return on Tuesday, 14 January 2025 with an episode on sustainability with Alison Lambert. The second series will include a range of new and familiar guests sharing veterinary initiatives and news from independent practices.

The podcast is available on Spotify and will now also be released on Apple Podcasts. More details about FIVP and the podcast can be found on its website

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Further cases of H5N1 confirmed in Norfolk

APHA has officially confirmed that two more cases of H5N1 have been found on premises in Norfolk.

Testing confirmed that highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 was present at premises near Attleborough, as well as premises near Hingham in South Norfolk. The case near Hingham follows a slaughter on suspicion which was declared on 23 December.

A 3km Protection Zone and 10km Surveillance Zone have been implemented at each premises, and all the poultry on each premises will be humanely culled.

A third case has also been identified near Beverley in East Riding of Yorkshire.

APHA is reminding bird keepers to remain vigilant and follow biosecurity measures to prevent more outbreaks. Details on the current disease control zones and biosecurity guidance can be found on the APHA website.