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Sniffer dog finds £1m haul of illegal rhino horn
The ivory haul was found by sniffer dog Lizzy at OR Tambo Airport in Johannesburg. (Stock photo)
Largest haul seized in South Africa in recent years 

Customs officials in South Africa have seized illegal rhino horn worth around £1 million, after it was sniffed out by a detection dog.

A haul of 36 horns and horn fragments were tightly packed in eight boxes, along with other items such as decorations and doormats, BBC News reports.

The boxes were ready to be shipped to Dubai, according to the South African Revenue Service.

Weighing 116kg (256lbs), the haul is thought to be one of the biggest seized in South Africa in recent years. It was found by sniffer dog Lizzy at OR Tambo Airport in Johannesburg.

Despite successful conservation efforts in South Africa in recent years, WWF says the number of rhinos poached in the country has increased by 9,000 per cent since 2007, from 13 to 1,215 in 2014.

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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.