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WSAVA welcomes new president
Dr Ellen van Nierop.

Dr Ellen van Nierop will lead the association's global community. 

Small animal clinician Dr Ellen van Nierop, who practises in Quito, Ecuador, has been named president of the WSAVA.

Originally from the Netherlands, Dr Nierop was elected president at the WSAVA World Congress (29-31 October) in Lima, Peru. She will be supported by Dr Jim Berry from Canada, who was elected WSAVA vice president. 

Ellen said: “I am honoured to serve the veterinary profession as WSAVA President and will ensure that we continue to strengthen and grow our global veterinary community in order to build a better future for both our current members and those still to come.”

"As a practising clinician, I find the WSAVA’s educational resources invaluable and, as a member of the Executive Board, I have seen at first hand the hugely positive influence the association is having in terms of raising standards of companion animal veterinary care around the world."

A graduate of Ghent University in Belgium, Ellen runs a small animal clinic with her husband, who is also a vet. She first joined the WSAVA Executive Board in 2013 and has been the Ecuadorian representative of the WSAVA for AMVEPE since 2009. 

Other new roles on the WSAVA executive board include Dr Oscar Umaña from Costa Rica as honorary treasurer and Dr Jerzy Gawor from Poland as Board Member.

Image (C) WSAVA.

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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.