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Vets to debate how to engage Gen Z in disease prevention
"It is essential the profession understands this grwing demand and ensures pet owners have access to accurate information" - Justine Shotton, BVA vice-president.
The BVA Congress session will explore the challenges and opportunities for reaching a younger generation of pet owner.

A panel debate exploring how to reach a younger generation of pet owners to prevent disease will take place at London Vet Show on Friday (18 November).

The BVA Congress session, titled Preventative Health and the Gen Z Client – engaging a new generation of pet owners with disease prevention, will explore the issues and opportunities presented by this new, tech-savvy generation.

Chaired by BVA senior vice president Justine Shotton, the session will look at how young people access, digest and share information in new ways. 

Joining her on the panel will be Tanya Michelsen, associate director of CM Research; Marnie Brennan, associate professor in epidemiology at the University of Nottingham; Rebekah Ellis, brand and customer manager, MSD Human Health, and Ben Sweeney, founder and CEO of Vidivet.

Dr Shotton said: “The rapid proliferation of telemedicine and the growth of online advice groups on platforms like Facebook are clear signs that clients are looking for additional ways to access veterinary services and advice. 

“It is essential the profession understands this growing demand and ensures pet owners have access to accurate information. This session at BVA Congress promises to be extremely insightful, exploring the challenges but also the opportunities for reaching a new, younger generation of pet owner.” 

The session takes place on Friday, 18 November, 1:50 pm.

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Annual submission deadline small pet animal exemptions

News Story 1
 Companies marketing medicines for small pets exempt from authorisation must submit their annual return to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) by 30 November 2026.

Submitting this annual return ensures continued compliance with regulatory requirements for products marketed without a full Marketing Authorisation. The exemption specifically applies to products intended for animals, cage birds, terrarium animals, small rodents, ferrets and rabbits.

For further details and submission guidelines, visit the gov.uk website.  

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Bluetongue RZ extended across Scotland

The Scottish Government has announced an extension to a Bluetongue Restricted Zone that is in place in south-west Scotland.

From 3 October, the Restricted Zone will be extended to cover the whole of Scotland. The Animal, Plant and Health Agency (APHA) says this is in response to further disease spread, as well as simplify trading conditions ahead of the autumn.

Since the whole country will share a disease status, it will no longer be necessary to have a movement license to move susceptible livestock around the country. Restrictions on germinal products remain.

As of 1 October 2026, there were 1,979 cases of BTV-3 in England, 389 cases in Wales and 40 cases in Scotland.