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Past BVA president joins Animal Health and Welfare Board
Past BVA president James Russell is one of six new members that have been appointed to the Animal Health and Welfare Board for England.

James Russell has been appointed a non-executive director along with Battersea’s Peter Laurie.

Six new members have been appointed to the Animal Health and Welfare Board for England (AHWBE), including Peter Laurie, chief executive officer of Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, and James Russell, former president of the BVA.

Biosecurity Minister Lord Benyon has appointed six non-executive directors to the board, who will take up their seats today (1 November 2021) for three years and will support the new Chair, Jonathan Statham. 

All appointments to the AHWBE are made solely based on merit, and political activity plays no role in the selection process. The appointments were made per the Ministerial Governance Code on Public Appointments.

Also joining the board will be Emma Slawinski, director of Advocacy and Policy at the RSPCA, Gwyn Jones, a current non-executive director of the AHWBE, John Reed, a small livestock farmer and a non-executive director of Avara Foods, and Charles Sercomb, a first-generation sheep farmer involved in a wide variety of work in agriculture.

“These appointments will bring a wealth of farming, veterinary and animal welfare experience to the vital work of the Animal Health and Welfare Board for England,” commented biosecurity Minister Lord Benyon.“The UK is a world leader in animal health, welfare and biosecurity and I look forward to working closely with the Board to further build our knowledge, research and resilience in this important area.”

The AHWBE was launched in 2011 to advise Defra ministers on all strategic health and welfare matters relating to kept animals in England. Its responsibilities include animal health and welfare policy, assessing the threat from animal diseases, and reviewing contingency plans for disease outbreaks.

Image (C) BVA/Flickr

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Webinar to explore history of KC breed registers

News Story 1
 A free webinar exploring the development of the Kennel Club's registration system and the evolution of closed breed registers has been announced.

Hosted by Dr Alison Skipper, veterinary and research advisor at the Kennel Club, the webinar will delve into the development of the registry and how the changing landscape of scientific knowledge has shaped breeding practices. It will also look at what this means for the future of pedigree dogs.

The session will culminate with a look at The Kennel Club's ongoing and future engagement in this area, with a chance for attendees to put forward their thoughts and questions for discussion.

This event takes place on Microsoft Teams on Tuesday, 10 June at 7pm. To learn more, visit events.teams.microsoft.com  

Click here for more...
News Shorts
UK's BSE risk status downgraded

The WOAH has downgraded the UK's international risk status for BSE to 'negligible'.

Defra says that the UK's improved risk status recognises the reputation for having the highest standards for biosecurity. It adds that it demonstrates decades of rigorous animal control.

Outbreaks of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, also known as mad cow disease, have previously resulted in bans on Britain's beef exports.

The UK's new status could lead to expanded trade and better confidence in British beef.

Christine Middlemiss, the UK's chief veterinary officer, said: "WOAH's recognition of the UK as negligible risk for BSE is a significant milestone and is a testament to the UK's strong biosecurity measures and the hard work and vigilance of farmers and livestock keepers across the country who have all played their part in managing the spread of this disease.