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Iguana escapes fire by jumping on fireman's helmet
The fireman didn't realise the iguana had jumped on to his head at first.

Pet was carried to safety by startled crew member

Firefighters from the Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service made a surprise rescue while extinguishing a house fire in Corby, as an iguana leaped on to a team member's helmet to escape the blaze.

The team responded to a call about a fire caused by a faulty reptile heating mat at 11pm on Wednesday 6 January.

As they tackled the flames, the owner's pet iguana jumped to safety on to one of the firemen's helmets.

Speaking to the BBC, a spokeswoman for the Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “The fireman... didn’t realise the iguana had climbed on top of him at first as he initially thought it was a colleague touching his helmet.”

The animal was unhurt and was carried safely out of the house, although there was some damage to the home, there were no other injuries.

In a tweet about the unique incident, the Service wrote: “One of [the] occupants couldn't wait to be rescued and jumped to safety to hitch a ride out!!”

The public responded to the tweet, praising the brave work of the firefighters and wishing the best for the brave reptile and it's owners.

Image (c) Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service.

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Webinar to explore AMR in vet dentistry

News Story 1
 The WSAVA has invited veterinary professionals to a webinar on responsible antibiotic usage in dentistry.

On 19 November 2025, at 1am, Dr J Scott Weese and Dr Brooke Niemiec will share the latest advice for antimicrobial use. They will present research on oral bacterology, and explain how attendees can choose appropriate antibiotics.

The session will cover pre-, intra- and post-operative guidelines, with recommendations for various pathologies.

The webinar is designed to support veterinary professionals to make informed decisions and tackle antimicrobial resistance.

Attendees can register here

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Bluetongue reaches Wales for first time in 2025

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has revealed that bluetongue has been confirmed in Wales for the first time in 2025.

In their latest statistics, APHA records a total of 109 cases of BTV-3 or BTV-8 in Great Britain in the 2025-2026 vector season.

The total number of BTV-3 cases in Great Britain this season is 107. This includes 103 cases within the England restricted zone and four cases in Wales.

There has also been two cases of BTV-8, which were both in Cornwall.

As a result of the cases in Wales, a Temporary Control Zone (TCZ) is enforced in Monmouthshire. Animals can move freely under general license within the England Restricted Zone, however animals with suspected bluetongue must stay on their holding.

All premises testing positive for blue tongue can be viewed on this map.