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Announcement on Badger Cull challenge soon
Friday announcement expected

An announcement on whether a High Court challenge to plans to cull badgers in England can go ahead is expected by the end of the week. The challenge was brought by the Badger Trust as response to the decision by ministers at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to sanction pilot culls in West Somerset and West Gloucestershire in an attempt to tackle the spread of Bovine Tuberculosis (bTB).

Speaking to the National Farmer's Union (NFU) Council, NFU Head of Food and Farming Phil Hudson informed those present that an announcement by a judge on whether the case would be authorised to proceed would occur “by this Friday”. Mr Hudson also told the Council that a High Court hearing, if one were to go ahead, could happen as early as this June in light of the "level of public interest in this issue".

The Badger Trust's challenge argues that a cull would be outside the authority of Natural England, that DEFRA's cost impact assessment is inaccurate because it does not take a possible requirement for cage trapping into account, and that the culls do not satisfy the legal test of 'preventing the spread of disease' and may even contribute towards the spread of disease.

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Practices urged to audit neutering data

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.

It follows the release of the 2024 NASAN benchmarking report, which collates data from neutering procedures performed on dogs, cats and rabbits.

The benchmarking report enables practices in the UK and Ireland to compare their post-operative outcomes to the national average. This includes the rate of patients lost to follow-up, which in 2024 increased to 23 per cent.

Anyone from the practice can submit the data using a free template. The deadline for next report is February 2026.

Visit the RCVS Knowledge website to complete an audit. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
RCVS pays tribute to well-loved equine vet

The RCVS and the Riding Establishments Subcommittee has paid tribute to well-loved veterinary surgeon and riding establishment inspector, Rebecca Hamilton-Fletcher MRCVS.

Linda Belton MRCVS, RCVS President, said: "I, along with my colleagues on the RESC, RCVS Council, RCVS Standards Committee, as well as RCVS staff, was very saddened to hear of the sudden death of Rebecca, or Becca as we knew her, last week.

"She was a true advocate for equine welfare and in her many years on the RESC worked to continually improve the quality and consistency of riding establishment inspections, all in the interests of enhanced horse welfare and rider safety."