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Guinea Pig Awareness Week to return in October
The theme for this year's GPAW will focus on guinea pig stress management.
This year’s theme is ‘Comfort, Care and Companionship’.

Guinea Pig Awareness Week (GPAW) is to return for its fifth run in 2025, this year taking place in October.

The welfare initiative, which usually takes place in September, will return from Monday 20 October 2025 to Friday 24 October 2025.

Throughout the week, GPAW will be on the theme of ‘Comfort, Care and Companionship’. It will seek to highlight the importance of stress management in maintaining guinea pig welfare.

The initiative will see content shared by leading veterinary professionals and behaviourists to address the significance of stress to guinea pig welfare. It will also provide guidance for how owners can improve their health outcomes and longevity.

It will again be hosted by Burgess Excel, in collaboration with the RSPCA, Blue Cross, Woodgreen and Raystede.

Suzanne Moyes, in-house veterinary surgeon for Burgess, said: “Guinea Pig Awareness Week has grown from strength to strength each year and is a much-needed opportunity to support guinea pig owners in better understanding their pets.

“This year, we’ve zeroed in on stress and we want to support people to recognise the signs of stress in their guinea pigs, create a peaceful, enriching home environment, handle their guinea pigs safely and ensure they have the companionship they need.”

On 10 September 2025, Burgess Excel is also hosting its second Guinea Pig Welfare Forum (GPWF). Held at the Crowne Plaza in Birmingham City Centre, the event will gather expert speakers to discuss guinea pig health, behaviour and welfare.

The event will be chaired by John Chitty, an RCVS advanced practitioner in zoological medicine, who will also speak at the event. 

Other confirmed speakers include:

    • Abi Edis (registered veterinary nurse)
    • Alison Wills (lecturer, University of Central Lancashire)
    • Mary Coles (PhD researcher, University of Liverpool)
    • Lauren Fenton (registered veterinary nurse)
    • Paul Betchley (head of zoological and park operations, Beale Park)
    • David Griffiths (senior animal welfare officer, Winchester City Council)
    • Rik Cridland (founder, HayPigs!)

Image © Shutterstock

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Defra shares new Sanitary and Phytosanitary guidance

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 Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.

The agreement, which will change the movement and trade of animals and related products, could see reductions in checks, paperwork and certification. As well as describing regulatory developments, the advice highlights the importance of animal ID, registration and traceability in disease control and other compliance arrangements.

The guidance can be found here. More detail is expected as negotiations progress. 

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The committee will hear evidence from environmental non-governmental organisations and research institutes. The public can follow the proceedings live on Parliament TV or in person in the Palace of Westminster.