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Melissa Donald elected RCVS junior vice-president
Melissa Donald.

Past BVA Scottish branch president will take up the role in July.

RCVS Council member Melissa Donald has been voted in as junior vice-president for 2021-2022. 

Melissa, who will take up the post during RCVS Day in July, succeeds Professor David Argyle, who announced his decision to resign from Council earlier this week.

Announcing the news on Twitter, Melissa wrote: “Delighted and humbled to have been voted in as Junior VP from July. Thank you, and as with everything I have done in my career, you the profession will see me put all my energy and commitment into the role.”

Melissa is chair of the RCVS Standards Committee and a past-president of BVA’s Scottish branch. A graduate of Glasgow University, she undertook a food animal internship at Iowa State University, USA, before joining a two-person traditional mixed practice on the Ayrshire coast. 

Over 25 years Melissa and her husband developed the business into a 4.5 vet 100 per cent small animal practice. She became the clinical coach for nurse training in 2004 and later RCVS practical OSCE examiner for the VN exams.

She is also a past president of the Ayrshire Veterinary Association.

Image (C) RCVS.

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Birmingham Dogs Home makes urgent appeal

News Story 1
 Birmingham Dogs Home has issued an urgent winter appeal as it faces more challenges over the Christmas period.

The rescue centre has seen a dramatic increase in dogs coming into its care, and is currently caring for over 200 dogs. With rising costs and dropping temperatures, the charity is calling for urgent support.

It costs the charity £6,000 per day to continue its work.

Fi Harrison, head of fundraising and communications, said: "It's heart-breaking for our team to see the conditions some dogs arrive in. We really are their last chance and hope of survival."

More information about the appeal can be found here

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Avian flu confirmed at premises in Cornwall

A case of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 has been detected in commercial poultry at a premises near Rosudgeon, Cornwall.

All poultry on the infected site will be humanely culled, and a 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone have been put in place. Poultry and other captive birds in the 3km protection zone must be housed.

The case is the second avian flu case confirmed in commercial poultry this month. The H5N5 strain was detected in a premises near Hornsea, East Riding of Yorkshire, in early November. Before then, the disease had not been confirmed in captive birds in England since February.

The UK chief veterinary officer has urged bird keepers to remain alert and practise robust biosecurity.

A map of the disease control zones can be found here.