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Cats Protection names first Vet of the Year
Dr Beynon (centre) with Bolu Eso (left) and Rory Cowlam (right).
Richard Beynon received the accolade at the National Cat Awards.

Cats Protection has revealed the winner of its inaugural Vet of the Year award.

Richard Beynon, founder and director of Swansea Cat Clinic, was presented with the honour as part of the charity’s National Cat Awards ceremony on 18 September.

The award has been introduced by the welfare charity to recognise veterinary surgeons with ‘unwavering dedication, compassion and expert knowledge’. Dr Beynon was selected from eight other finalists to receive the title.

He was nominated for the award by one of his clients, Sarah Knight. When Ms Knight brought her cat, Solomon, to his practice, Dr Beynon’s cat-focused knowledge meant he was able to provide a diagnosis that had previously been elusive.

He was then selected to win by a panel including Cat Protection’s central veterinary officer Sarah Elliott, Blue Peter’s animal health expert Rory Cowlam and ITV’s Love Your Weekend’s Bolu Eso.

The award was presented to Dr Beynon as part of a ceremony at London’s One Marylebone on 18 September, hosted by novelist Dawn O’Porter.

Dr Elliott said: “The judging panel loved how Sarah described feeling so well supported by Richard during Solomon’s illness.

“Sarah said he was a hero! He really put her at ease and relieved a lot of the anxiety she was feeling around her beloved Solomon’s health problems. Sarah praised Richard for his ‘kindness, honesty, humour and professionalism’.

“We felt strongly that Richard’s compassion and dedication should be recognised with this very special award.”

Dr Beynon said: “It's amazing to be nominated for this award and I am truly humbled.

“This job is exceptionally hard. It’s difficult with some of the cases we have to manage and we’re not looking for recognition as vets but when it does come along, like this, it’s extremely flattering and I am so grateful.”

Image © Cats Protection

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BEVA gives RVNs right to vote

News Story 1
 The British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) is to allow its registered veterinary nurse (RVN) members the right to vote.

RVN members will now be able to take part in key decision-making processes and stand for BEVA council.

Marie Rippingale, chair of BEVA's Nurse Committee, said: "I am very proud to be a part of BEVA.

"This change will help to empower nurses to speak up and contribute, but more importantly, it will give them an opportunity to collaborate with other members of the equine veterinary profession to bring about change that is positive for all." 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Farmer survey to reveal on-farm impact of bluetongue

A nationwide survey has been launched to better understand how the bluetongue virus is affecting UK farms.

Results will inform the support that farmers receive for bluetongue, as well as preparing the livestock industry for the future.

The short online survey is open to all livestock farmers, regardless of whether they've had a confirmed case of bluetongue on their farm. It asks how many animals have been affected, the severity of their clinical signs and how it has impacted farm business.

The survey takes five minutes to complete and is fully anonymous.

It is led by Fiona Lovatt, of Flock Health Limited, and the Ruminant Health & Welfare bluetongue working group, in collaboration with AHDB and the University of Nottingham.

Dr Lovatt says: "We need to find out what level of clinical signs farmers are seeing in their animals, whether they are experiencing mortality with BTV-3 cases, and what their appetite is to vaccinate in future for bluetongue serotype 3."

The survey can be found here.