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Westminster to consult on dog breeding
puppies
The puppy farming industry is said to be worth around £100 million a year.
George Eustice announces legislation review
 
A new consultation will allow people to share their views on current puppy breeding legislation, George Eustice MP has announced.

The news, which has been welcomed by animal welfare campaigners, was first announced at a recent conference hosted by the All Party Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare (AGPAW).

Mr Eustice also made an appearance on this week's Watchdog program and was questioned about the rising problem of puppy farming.

The puppy farming industry is said to be worth around £100 million a year, with tens of thousands of puppies expected to enter the UK in time for Christmas.

Ian Briggs from the RSPCA's special operations unit, said as many as one in three puppies in the UK are here because of the puppy farming trade.

Watchdog presenter Matt Allwright said the show had had an "incredible" response from the public, with many people getting in touch to report establishments they believe could be selling farmed puppies.

Asked what the government is doing to address these issues, Mr Eustice said: "We're about to launch a consultation actually on reviewing the whole licensing system for all animal establishments, including puppy breeding establishments."

One of the problems is illegal imports, he said, admitting that there is "an enforcement issue". The other is backstreet breeders in the UK, who currently fall outside of the licensing system. As the law stands in most parts of the UK, there is no limit to the number of dogs that can be bred at one location and puppies can be separated from their mothers as soon as they are weaned - as early as four weeks.

MP Rob Flello commented: "The issue with licensed and legal puppy farms is it shows really quite clearly how weak the legislation is. If you can meet the legal requirements whilst still running essentially a sort of battery caged outfit for dogs and puppies, again it just shows how weak the law is."

Mr Allwright raised concerns about Dogs Trust research which shows thousands of puppies are slipping through the cracks and entering the UK from Eastern Europe illegally. Mr Eustice said the government is working with other European countries to address the problem of vets in third countries issuing fraudulent passports. He also blamed internet puppy sales and consumers, saying: 'We need consumers to think much more carefully about where they're getting their animals from."

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.