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Tributes paid to John Sheridan, 'a giant within the profession'
John Sheridan was president of the BSAVA from 1974 to 1975 and first president of the VPMA from 1993 to 1996.
John was a past president of the BSAVA and first president of the VPMA

MRCVSOnline is saddened to hear of the passing of renowned veterinary surgeon, John Sheridan.

After graduating from the Royal Veterinary College in 1960, John spent the first 25 years of his career in small animal medicine, establishing a franchise of eight veterinary practices. In 1985, he was hired as managing director of Anicare Group Services, providing an array of management consultancy services to the profession.

John was president of the BSAVA from 1974 to 1975 and first president of the VPMA from 1993 to 1996. He held a diploma in Management Studies, a Certificate in Veterinary Practice Management from the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association, and a Certificate in Veterinary Practice Administration awarded by Purdue University and the AAHA.

John Sheridan was joint founder of Veterinary Practice Initiatives Ltd, the first veterinary corporate consolidator in the UK, and was chief veterinary officer from its launch in July 1998 until he retired from the company executive team in 2003.

More recently, John offered part-time management consultancy to the veterinary profession and published Veterinary Business Briefing, an online practice management resource for the international veterinary community. He also published and presented the Veterinary Business Video Show, with a new episode every two weeks.

Tributes

Tributes from across the veterinary community flooded onto Twitter following the news, with RCVS president Niall Connell tweeting: 'Sad news indeed. John Sheridan MRCVS @johnsher has passed away. I enjoyed listening to John's thoughtful and insightful podcasts. RIP John.'

BSAVA president Sue Paterson wrote: 'We heard today of the passing of John Sheridan. John was President of BSAVA from 1974-1975. He was a giant within the profession but as importantly a wonderful person. The sympathies of the whole of the BSAVA family go out to his loved ones.'

Internationally-recognised vet and author Dr Ernie Ward commented: 'Veterinary friends, I am so sorry to hear that John Sheridan (UK) passed away last night. He was an icon in #veterinary practice & truly inspired me many years ago. My gratitude for his unrelenting kindness & generosity.'

John was a kind gentleman and innovator in practice management and will be missed by all that had the pleasure to know him.

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Equine Disease Surveillance report released for Q4 2025

News Story 1
 The latest Equine Disease Surveillance report has been released, with details on equine disease from Q4 of 2025.

The report, produced by Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance, includes advice on rule changes for equine influenza vaccination.

Statistics and maps detail recent outbreaks of equine herpes virus, equine influenza, equine strangles and equine grass sickness. A series of laboratory reports provides data on virology, bacteriology, parasitology and toxicosis.

This issue also features a case study of orthoflavivus-associated neurological disease in a horse in the UK. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Applications open for BEVA Back in the Saddle

The British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) has opened applications for its 'Back in the Saddle' coaching programme.

The online scheme offers structured group coaching for members wanting to reflect on their career path and regain clarity. Members may be returning to work after leave, uncertain about next steps or reassessing direction.

Attendees will benefit from impartial guidance and practical tools to support their professional development. Members are encouraged to take a 'proactive, future-focused approach' to their careers.

The sessions, taking place on Wednesdays from 7.30pm-9pm, are open to BEVA members with more than five years' experience. The first session takes place on Wednesday, 3 June 2026.

Applications will close on Wednesday, 27 May 2026.