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New initiative to support horse owners
Network set up to help owners considering euthanasia

The British Horse Society has set up a network of volunteers to support horse owners who are struggling with the decision of whether to put their animal to sleep.

According to Lee Hackett from the welfare department at BHS, the charity regularly receives calls about "old much-loved horses" whose owners seem unwilling to have them euthanised. He adds that owners have a variety of reasons for avoiding euthanasia, but tend to find the decision even more difficult when the horse is not old but suffers from a chronic injury or behavioural issues.

"More and more people simply cannot afford to have field ornaments," he says, "yet often the horse is not suitable to be sold on. Some people assume a charity will be able to take the horse on, but this is hardly ever the case."

The initiative by the BHS is in part a response to the growing number of neglected or abandoned horses being referred to charities. British charities do not have the resources or room to handle the numbers being referred.

The BHS has trained 100 of its welfare officers around the country to act as advisors and provide support to owners considering euthanasia. They have been trained in bereavement counselling as well as horse welfare. Named "Friends at the End", the volunteers will also attend the euthanasia if the owner feels unable to.

More information can be found by contacting the BHS welfare team via email.

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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."