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'Snip the straps' off face masks, public urged
RSPCA officers were called out to a gull with a face mask wrapped tightly around its legs.

New figures reveal impact of litter on wildlife since start of lockdown.

The RSPCA has issued a plea to the public to 'snip the straps' off disposable face masks after a gull was found with a mask wrapped tightly around its legs.

The charity reports that the bird has made a full recovery, despite the mask causing swelling to his legs, and hopes that the new 'snip the straps' message will prevent similar incidents from occurring.

RSPCA chief executive Chris Sherwood said: “For many years the public have been aware of the message to cut up plastic six-pack rings before throwing them away to stop animals getting tangled in them, and now we are keen to get out the message that the same should be done for face masks too - as very sadly, animals are susceptible to getting tangled up in them.”

The call comes as new figures show the impact litter has had on animals since the start of lockdown. Since 23 March, RSPCA Cymru reports that it handled 35 separate incidents across the country concerning animals caught in rubbish.

Among the incidents include a swan found with his head stuck in a discarded foam play square, and another swan rescued after getting a barbed fishing hook stuck in his neck. The RSPCA says that the majority of these events are entirely preventable if rubbish is disposed of correctly.

Mr Sherwood added: “Our RSPCA officers have had to rescue animals from getting tangled in face masks and we expect incidents may go up as time goes on, so the best thing to do is to simply cut the elastic ear straps in half before throwing it away.”

Image (C) RSPCA.

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Practices urged to audit neutering data

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.

It follows the release of the 2024 NASAN benchmarking report, which collates data from neutering procedures performed on dogs, cats and rabbits.

The benchmarking report enables practices in the UK and Ireland to compare their post-operative outcomes to the national average. This includes the rate of patients lost to follow-up, which in 2024 increased to 23 per cent.

Anyone from the practice can submit the data using a free template. The deadline for next report is February 2026.

Visit the RCVS Knowledge website to complete an audit. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
New guidance for antibiotic use in rabbits

New best practice guidance on the responsible use of antibiotics in rabbits has been published by the BSAVA in collaboration with the Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund (RWA&F).

The guidance is free and has been produced to help veterinary practitioners select the most appropriate antibiotic for rabbits. It covers active substance, dose and route of administration all of which are crucial factors when treating rabbits owing to the risk of enterotoxaemia.

For more information and to access the guide, visit the BSAVALibrary.