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Shootings prompt renewed calls for airgun licensing
It is legal in England and Wales for anyone over 18 to own an air gun without a licence.

Charity urges government to update legislation 

Cats Protection has renewed its calls for air gun licensing in England and Wales after further shootings.

The charity says its Bridgend Adoption Centre has seen two cases in the past two months, from different parts of Wales.

Stray cats Jewels and Mr Bojangles were both taken to the charity after being shot and air gun pellets were found embedded under their skin. Both had to undergo surgery but have since made a full recovery.

It is legal in England and Wales for anyone over 18 to own an air gun without a licence. In Scotland and Northern Ireland, however, these weapons are licensed.

Reports in the press suggest 164 cats in the UK were shot with air guns in 2017, but Cats Protection says that in reality, this figure is just the tip of the iceberg.

Jacqui Cuff, the charity’s head of advocacy and government relations, said: “It cannot just be coincidence that over 85 per cent of these reported attacks on cats were in England and Wales.

“Sadly, we see many instances where cats are shot by air guns, often sustaining life-changing or fatal injuries. These lethal weapons are far too easily accessed. Modern legislation on air gun ownership is now well overdue in England and Wales.”

A petition by the charity, calling on the government to update the law in line with the rest of the UK, has so far been signed by more than 115,000 people.

The government launched a review of the legislation in 2017, including a consultation that ran until February 2018, but there have been no further updates on its future plans.

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

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News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.