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Public urged not to buy kittens on impulse
There was a 667 per cent rise in online searches for 'kittens near me' in July.
Online searches for kittens soared during lockdown.

Members of the public are being urged to do their research before getting a pet, as new figures reveal a sharp rise in the number of people wanting to buy or rehome kittens this summer.

According to figures published by the RSPCA, there was a 667 per cent rise in online searches for 'kittens near me' in July, a sixfold increase on the same period last year. The animal charity also noticed a sharp spike in searches for kittens during the coronavirus lockdown, with a 188 per cent increase within just a few months.

Cat welfare expert Alice Potter said: "It's fantastic that so many people are interested in bringing a cat into their home this year. However, with such high increases in people searching for kittens online, it's important that prospective owners are doing their research and not buying a kitten on impulse.

“This means making sure they have the time, money and resources to care for a cat for the rest of their lives, but also ensuring that if buying a kitten they're buying a healthy and happy kitten from a responsible breeder.”

The figures come during Adoptober, an initiative designed to showcase the benefits of rehoming a rescue pet. According to the RSPCA, there was a 114 per cent increase in the number of people searching for cats to adopt during the lockdown on its Find a Pet resource, compared to the previous year.

Alice added: "It's great to see so many people are looking to adopt a rescue cat with more than a million people visiting our Find a Pet during the pandemic.

"We are braced for a kitten season boom next year as routine neutering procedures had to be put on hold during the lockdown. This means that whilst the UK is already facing a cat overpopulation crisis, we may now see even more unplanned litters of kittens. If you've got a kitten during lockdown, it's so important to get them booked into your vets for a spay or a snip.”

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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. 

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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.