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RSPCA concerned about Guinea Pig welfare
"Before we have even reached the peak of the summer months we are seeing hundreds of incidents involving Guinea Pigs." - Dr Jane Tyson.

Almost 300 Guinea Pig incidents have been seen by the charity in 2021 alone.

The RSPCA fears that it may be seeing the repercussions of increased pet ownership over lockdown, as it has seen almost 300 Guinea Pigs neglected and abandoned this year already.

The charity's frontline officers and inspectors have seen 272 Guinea Pig related incidents in 2021 alone, and of these 66 were abandoned, and 153 were neglected. 

Dr Jane Tyson, RSCPA animal welfare expert, said of the charity's fears: “We do see instances of abandonment and neglect every year and even in 2020 and 2021, this was no exception.

“What is concerning is that before we have even reached the peak of the summer months our inspectors are already seeing hundreds of incidents involving Guinea pigs, and with many people still at home it is surprising that this is still happening already."

There was a 68 per cent increase in visitors to the RSPCA's 'find a pet' page searching for Guinea Pigs throughout 2020 – a rise to 103,703 searches from the 61,863 searches made in the previous year.

Dr Tyson is also urging Guinea Pig owners to come forward for support if they require it, saying: “There is support available for owners who feel they cannot cope, abandoning an animal or subjecting them to a life of neglect is never the answer. We would encourage anyone struggling to reach out to family and friends, charities and to make their vet aware that they need help.”

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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.