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MBE for veterinary nurse Hayley Walters
Hayley spent a decade in mixed practice, followed by three years working as a veterinary nurse for the charity Animals Asia.

New Year’s Honour recognises services to animal welfare 

Veterinary nurse Hayley Walters has been awarded an MBE in the New Year’s Honours List 2018, in recognition of her contribution to animal welfare and veterinary education.



After working in mixed veterinary practice for 10 years, Hayley spent three years working in China and Vietnam for the charity Animals Asia, which rescues bears from the bile farm industry and rehabilitates them into semi-natural enclosures. During this time she also gained experience in dealing with mass dog rescues in China.

Services to welfare and education


Hayley now works as an anaesthesia and welfare veterinary nurse at the University of Edinburgh, where she is responsible for training veterinary students and nurses in all aspects of anaesthesia, handling, inpatient care and pain management at the teaching hospital. She also teaches animal welfare and clinical skills to students across the UK and overseas for the Jeanne Marchig International Centre for Animal Welfare Education (JMICAWE). 



She previously received the Ceva Vet Nurse of the Year Award in 2015 and the RCVS Golden Jubilee Award in 2014, in honour of her exceptional contribution to animal welfare through her teaching, clinical and international outreach work.

Recognition for veterinary nursing


Commenting on her MBE she said she is “really happy” to see the work of the veterinary nursing profession being recognised by the Queen.



“I started my career as a part time receptionist and kennel maid when I was 18 and qualified as a VN three years later,” she said.



“I’m 40 this year, still love the job, still care so much about what animals experience when they’re away from home, scared and everything that is familiar to them has gone, but still can’t believe that you don’t always find ‘veterinary nurse’ in the drop down menu when filling in the job section on a form! It’s ridiculous!” 



“Joking aside,” she added, “I feel very privileged to receive an MBE but it has only happened because I am fortunate enough to work with really dedicated and inspiring people.



“Our international animal welfare education team within The University of Edinburgh is small but between us all we are reaching students not only in the UK but overseas too where often animal welfare is not taught.



“This MBE will hopefully raise our profile further so that we can continue the work for many more years. Student vets and VNs are the future ambassadors for animals so it’s really important that they are taught how to fulfil this role and given the opportunity and motivation to do so.”



Liz Cox, chair of Veterinary Nurses Council, said Hayley’s inclusion in the New Years Honours List “truly highlights the importance of the work carried out by veterinary nurses in caring for animals and providing education on animal health and welfare issues and I hope it inspires other veterinary nurses to take pride in their work and their achievements.”



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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.