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Battersea to run virtual dog skills classes
The four-week Skills for All course costs £55.
Classes to teach owners new tricks for mental stimulation.

A new virtual training class for dogs has been launched by Battersea Dogs and Cats Home to teach owners skills and techniques to keep their dogs stimulated.

Named 'Skills for All', the sessions will be delivered live and online by the charity's behaviourists to teach dog owners beneficial new tricks for their pet to learn, such as backwards walking, leg weaves and high fives.

The four-week skills course is geared towards dogs aged six months and over, and will be held with no more than six dogs per training session, so each participant will receive plenty of personalised guidance. 

“Lockdown showed just how special the bond between pet and owner can be,” said Rob Bays, Battersea's canine behaviourist and training manager. 

“As we spend more time out of our houses in the summer months, our classes offer owners the chance to spend much-valued quality at-home time with their dogs, strengthening those existing relationships whilst teaching them fun tricks that the whole family can get involved in.

“One of the great things about running these classes virtually is that we’re able to teach dogs fun and mentally stimulating tricks within their familiar home environment, free of any potential distractions and with the support of our expert behaviour team.”

The next Skills for All sessions will begin on 18 July and 27 July, and three classes will be held on each day. Any interested dog owners can find more information, register interest or book a place on a session on the Battersea website.

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Equine Disease Surveillance report released for Q4 2025

News Story 1
 The latest Equine Disease Surveillance report has been released, with details on equine disease from Q4 of 2025.

The report, produced by Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance, includes advice on rule changes for equine influenza vaccination.

Statistics and maps detail recent outbreaks of equine herpes virus, equine influenza, equine strangles and equine grass sickness. A series of laboratory reports provides data on virology, bacteriology, parasitology and toxicosis.

This issue also features a case study of orthoflavivus-associated neurological disease in a horse in the UK. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NSA webinar explores sheep tailing and castration

The National Sheep Association (NSA) is to host a free webinar on the castration and tail docking of lambs.

The webinar, 'Understanding the tailing and castration consultation: A guide for sheep farmers', will be hosted online on Monday, 2 March 2026 at 7.30pm.

It comes during a government consultation into the methods used for these procedures. Farmers are encouraged to engage before the consultation period closes on Monday, 9 March 2026.

The webinar offers clear and actionable guidance to support farmers to contribute meaningfully to the consultation and prepare for potential changes.

On the panel will be former SVS president Kate Hovers, farmer and vet Ann Van Eetvelt and SRUC professor in Animal Health and Veterinary Sciences Cathy Dwyer. Each panel member will utilise their own specialism and expertise to evaluate risks and outcomes to sheep farming.

Find out more about the webinar on the NSA website.