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Goshawk rescue prompts ownership warning
Owned goshawks must be registered by their keeper under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Owned goshawks must be either ringed or microchipped.

An illegally-owned goshawk rescued from a town in Wales has prompted the RSPCA to issue a warning about the ownership of these spectacular birds of prey.

The male goshawk was spotted by a member of the public in Tonypandy and collected by the RSPCA. He was wearing jesses but was not ringed or microchipped – suggesting the bird was owned illegally.

RSPCA chief inspector Elaine Spence said: “The law surrounding goshawks is clear - but this incident has prompted us to issue a reminder to the public.

“Except in specific and time-limited cases of rehabilitation, keepers must register them, and either ring or microchip them - but that hadn't happened to this goshawk. This gives us cause to believe this goshawk was illegally owned - and sadly, we know goshawk nests are frequently a target for wildlife crime.”

Owned goshawks should be registered by their keeper under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and must be either ringed or microchipped. The only exception is for those rehabilitating a sick, injured or disabled bird of prey, where authorised persons can provide treatment under general licence for a period of 15 days.

The RSPCA said that the goshawk has a small wing injury and is receiving treatment at a specialist centre.

 

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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
New guidance for antibiotic use in rabbits

New best practice guidance on the responsible use of antibiotics in rabbits has been published by the BSAVA in collaboration with the Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund (RWA&F).

The guidance is free and has been produced to help veterinary practitioners select the most appropriate antibiotic for rabbits. It covers active substance, dose and route of administration all of which are crucial factors when treating rabbits owing to the risk of enterotoxaemia.

For more information and to access the guide, visit the BSAVALibrary.