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RCVS and VN Council elections winners revealed
The successful candidates will formally take up their seats at the RCVS AGM in July. 
Successful candidates will formally take up their seats in July.

The successful candidates of the RCVS Council and VN Council elections have been revealed.

This year’s RCVS Council election saw 14 candidates standing for the four available places. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, a total of 8,542 veterinary surgeons submitted their vote online, amounting to 24.5 per cent of eligible voters. 

The elected RCVS Council members who will serve a four-year term are:

  • Dr Danny Chambers MRCVS – 4,759 votes 
  • Dr Tshidi Gardiner MRCVS – 3,228 votes 
  • Dr Colin Whiting MRCVS – 2,957 votes 
  • Dr Louise Allum MRCVS – 2,368 votes 

Fourteen candidates also stood for this year’s VN Council election for the one available place. Susan Howorth RVN was the only candidate who came forward ahead of the original nomination deadline (31 January) and was therefore automatically re-elected to VN Council.

A total of 2,341 veterinary nurses submitted their vote, amounting to 12.4 per cent of those eligible to do so.

The successful VN Council candidate, who will serve a three-year term, is:

  • Donna Leigh Lewis RVN – 404 votes 

All those elected to RCVS and VN Councils will formally take up their seats at the RCVS Annual General Meeting on Friday 9 July 2021. 

Eleanor Ferguson, RCVS registrar and returning officer for both elections, commented: “Thank you to all those who stood as candidates and all those who voted in this year’s elections, especially in view of all the extra demands on everyone’s time at the moment. Many congratulations to our five successful candidates with whom we look forward to working over the coming months and years. 

“Even though the elections were held during the ongoing pandemic, the RCVS Council election still produced the third-highest turnout on record, and turnout in both elections was above the average for those held over the last ten years.”

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Annual submission deadline small pet animal exemptions

News Story 1
 Companies marketing medicines for small pets exempt from authorisation must submit their annual return to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) by 30 November 2026.

Submitting this annual return ensures continued compliance with regulatory requirements for products marketed without a full Marketing Authorisation. The exemption specifically applies to products intended for animals, cage birds, terrarium animals, small rodents, ferrets and rabbits.

For further details and submission guidelines, visit the gov.uk website.  

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News Shorts
Bluetongue RZ extended across Scotland

The Scottish Government has announced an extension to a Bluetongue Restricted Zone that is in place in south-west Scotland.

From 3 October, the Restricted Zone will be extended to cover the whole of Scotland. The Animal, Plant and Health Agency (APHA) says this is in response to further disease spread, as well as simplify trading conditions ahead of the autumn.

Since the whole country will share a disease status, it will no longer be necessary to have a movement license to move susceptible livestock around the country. Restrictions on germinal products remain.

As of 1 October 2026, there were 1,979 cases of BTV-3 in England, 389 cases in Wales and 40 cases in Scotland.