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Live exports resume from Ipswich
Move comes after recent suspension at Ramsgate. 

A cargo of live sheep left Ipswich port on Friday night  following the recent suspension of live exports from Ramsgate, according to the RSPCA, which revealed that the ferry left Ipswich on Friday and arrived in Calais on Saturday.

The RSPCA has criticised the move to transfer live exports from Ramsgate to Ipswich while the former is suspended due to serious breaches of animal welfare, which it said amounted to "sneaking the vile trade back in through the back door."

Chief Executive for the welfare charity, Gavin Grant, warned port officials that they had a "duty of care" to the animals that were converging on the port.

Ipswich Borough Council does not have any statutory duties or powers affecting the live export of animals, and said it does not own the port. Inspections are carried out by Defra.

A Defra spokesperson said: "We take animal welfare very seriously and ideally would rather see livestock slaughtered as close as possible to where they are farmed. However, when animals are transported there are stringent rules including on fitness to travel, space allowances, ventilation and access to water and feed. These are strictly monitored and we will take swift action if they are not followed."

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Applications open for MMI research grants

News Story 1
 RCVS' Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) has launched round two of its veterinary mental health research grants.

Researchers have until 11.59pm on Wednesday, 28 May 2025 to apply for a grant for research which reflects MMI's 2025 focus areas.

Only one Impact Grant was awarded last year, and so this year there are two Discovery Grants and one Impact Grants available. Each Discovery Grant is worth £5,000 and the Impact Grant is worth £15,000.

For more information or to apply, email researchgrants@rcvs.org.uk to contact the MMI team.

 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
BBC Radio 4 documentary addresses corporate fees

BBC Radio 4's File on 4 Investigates has released a documentary exploring how corporate-owned veterinary practices may be inflating bills to increase profit.

Released on 15 April, 'What's Happening To Your Vet Bills?' revealed the policies which many corporate groups have in place to increase their profits. This included targets and upgrades which veterinary teams are tasked with meeting on a regular basis.

It also features Anrich Vets, an independently-owned practice based in Wigan. Following the case of Staffordshire terrier Benjy, who is diagnosed with a tumour, the documentary shares how the team were able to offer contextualised care and advice to make the procedure as affordable as possible for his owners.

The documentary can be heard on demand on BBC iPlayer.