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Clare Balding becomes new StreetVet ambassador
Clare Balding has been announced as StreetVet's new ambassador.

Broadcaster will help to raise awareness of the charity's new mission.

Broadcaster, animal-lover and writer Clare Balding has been announced as StreetVet's latest ambassador.

Clare is lending her support to help raise awareness of the charity's work, providing free veterinary care to the pets of people experiencing homelessness. She will also help promote the charity's new mission, to create a pet-friendly hostel accreditation scheme, enabling more homeless people to be housed with their pets.

“Many people experiencing homelessness currently face an impossible choice: be housed but give up their pet or stay out in the elements and keep their companion,” explained Jade Statt, founder of StreetVet. “We want to change this by creating pet-friendly, StreetVet-accredited hostels. This will mean people and pets can stay together and be given the chance to put their lives back together.”

Clare Balding added: “My book My animals and other family sums up how I feel about pets - they’re more than animals, they are our family and friends. No pet lover would want to be separated from their pet, especially when going through a very difficult time in their life.

“Pets are our support. When I heard about the work StreetVet does I wanted to help spread the word about this amazing charity and help raise awareness and funds for their latest mission - pet-friendly, accredited hostels - as well as their wonderful work treating pets on the streets.”

According to StreetVet, just one in ten hostels currently accept pets - and usually, this is only one pet per property. Under the new scheme, StreetVet aims to provide policies, advice and support so that more hostels can accept pets and their owners.

The first pilot hospital is set to launch in London at the end of the year, with StreetVet providing accreditation to hostels that meet the pet-friendly standard. Ultimately, the charity hopes to raise enough money to roll-out the scheme across the UK, meaning thousands of homeless people and their pets can get off the streets.

Clare and her wife Alice were recently left broken-hearted after the death of their beloved Tibetan terrier, Archie. Clare is currently involved in the Big Dog Walk, and has nominated StreetVet as her chosen charity.

As soon as social distancing restrictions are eased, Clare will be joining the StreetVet team on their street treatment outreach to appreciate first hand what is involved. To find out more about the charity, visit streetvet.co.uk

Image (C) StreetVet.

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Reporting service for dead wild birds updated

News Story 1
 The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has updated its online reporting service for dead wild birds.

The new version allows those reporting a dead bird to drop a pin on a map when reporting the location. It also includes a wider range of wild bird species groups to select from when describing the bird.

The online service, which helps APHA to monitor the spread of diseases such as avian influenza, can be accessed here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NI chief vet urges bluetongue vigilance

Northern Ireland's chief veterinary officer (CVO) has urged farmers to be vigilant for signs of bluetongue, after the Animal and Plant Health Agency warned there was a very high probability of further cases in Great Britain.

There have been 126 confirmed cases of bluetongue virus serotype 3 in England since November 2023, with no cases reported in Northern Ireland. The movement of live ruminants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland is currently suspended.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the virus is most likely to enter Northern Ireland through infected animals or germplasm (semen or ova) being imported.

Brian Dooher, Northern Ireland's CVO, said: "Surveillance for this disease within Northern Ireland has been increased to assist with detection at the earliest opportunity which will facilitate more effective control measures."

Farmers should report any suspicions of the disease to their private veterinary practitioner, the DAERA Helpline on 0300 200 7840 or their local DAERA Direct Veterinary Office.