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BVA renews call to 'respect your vet' during lockdowns
Lady holding a white cat with a vet in front of her
BVA urges animal owners to respect the clinical judgement of their veterinary team when deciding if their pet needs to be seen in person.
“Veterinary care is still available but it’s not business as usual” - James Russell. 

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has renewed its call to the public to respect their veterinary teams during the national COVID-19 lockdowns.

Across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, veterinary practices are being urged to only carry out work that is essential for animal health and welfare. This requirement means that some practices may need to postpone routine work and cancel appointments, so long as it is safe. 

In light of the recent lockdowns, BVA is once again calling on animal owners to respect the clinical judgement of veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses when deciding whether their animals need a face-to-face examination. Clients who do visit their vet must abide by the social distancing and biosecurity measures that have been put in place, the organisation said.

BVA president James Russell commented: “This is a serious public health crisis and it’s vital that we all play a role in stopping the spread of Covid. Veterinary care is still available but it’s not business as usual. Vets are being asked to restrict the range of services they can provide during these new lockdown periods to support the strong ‘stay at home’ message.

“Vets and nurses may need to cancel some routine appointments or they may need to deliver services remotely, for example, phone or video consultations. Some practices may ask you to stay outside the building. This is to keep you and the veterinary team safe.”

“During the first lockdown we heard worrying reports of clients being abusive to veterinary teams when new measures were put in place. This behaviour cannot be tolerated. I’m incredibly proud of our veterinary teams across the UK, who have been working under difficult circumstances throughout the pandemic. 

“Our message to animal owners is please respect your vet, listen to their clinical judgement, and follow the Covid-safe measures they put in place.

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Cold-water dip to raise funds for Vetlife

News Story 1
 The veterinary mental health charity Vetlife is inviting the veterinary community to join it for a sponsored cold-water dip.

The event will take place at Walpole Bay, Margate, on 17 May during Mental Health Awareness Week. Participants of all abilities can join in the challenge and are advised to bring a towel, a hot drink, a snack, and warm clothes to get changed into afterwards.

Those taking part are being asked to try to raise £100 each to support the work of the charity.

Details about how to take part can be found here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Bluetongue low vector period ends

In an update to its bluetongue guidance, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced that the seasonal low vector period for the disease has ended.

With winter over, Defra is planning for a possible increase in cases as midges become more active. It has warned that farms along the east coast of England from Norfolk to Kent, and along the south coast from Kent to Devon, are at highest risk from infected midges blown over from northern Europe.

Since the virus was detected in England in November 2023, there have been 126 confirmed cases. The most recent case to be confirmed was on 1 March 2024.

Farmers are asked to continue to frequently monitor their livestock and ensure their animals and land are registered with the Animal and Plant Health Agency.