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Charity coalition provides over a million meals to pets
The partnership has provided around 150 tonnes of pet food.
The Pet Food Partnership has been helping owners struggling with costs.

A coalition of charities has passed the milestone of providing one million meals for dogs and cats in Great Britain.

The Pet Food Partnership, made up of Battersea, Cats Protection, Dogs Trust, RSPCA and FareShare, was launched in late 2022 to help owners struggling with the cost of feeding their pets.

Since then, it has given out around 150 tonnes of pet food donated by pet food manufacturers.

The food has been distributed through FareShare’s network of more than 8,500 community groups and charities across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The cost of pet food has soared in the past year, with the prices of many products rising above inflation. According to The Grocer’s KVI tracker in July, the cost of own label cat food pouches had increased by 38 per cent on average, and own label dry dog food had become 14.7 per cent more expensive on average.

A spokesperson for the Pet Food Partnership said: “We know how important pets are to the people that love them, and that many owners would rather go hungry themselves than let their pet go without a meal. We believe no one should ever have to make that choice. That’s why we started this programme – to offer struggling owners a helping hand and fill pet food bowls across the UK.

“While reaching the million meals milestone is a great example of how effective working together can be, it is also a sad indicator of how many owners continue to struggle as a result of rising costs. From the dog owners up in Aberdeen, to the people with cats down in Plymouth, we’re here to help keep pets well-fed this winter.”

Image © Shutterstock

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New guidelines published for wildlife disease surveillance

News Story 1
 A set of international guidelines for disease surveillance in wildlife has been updated for the first time since 2015.

Released by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the World Organisation for Animal Health, General Guidelines for Surveillance of Diseases, Pathogens and Toxic Agents in Free-ranging Wildlife is designed to help wildlife authorities and others working with wildlife carry out effective surveillance programmes.

The document, which cover areas including choosing appropriate strategies, safety and biosafety protocols, and ethical and legal considerations, can be read here.  

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Restricted zone extended after more bluetongue cases

After three new cases of bluetongue virus serotype 3 were detected along the Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire border, the restricted zone has been extended.

The zone now includes Buckinghamshire and part of Berkshire, as well as Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, City of Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, East Sussex, Essex, Greater London, part of Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Kent, part of Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, part of Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Suffolk, Surrey, and West Sussex.

Susceptible animals in the restricted zone should only be moved if it is essential. A specific licence is needed to move a susceptible animal from within the restricted zone to outside of the zone.

Bluetongue is a notifiable disease. Suspected cases must be reported on 03000 200 301 in England or 03003 038 268 in Wales. In Scotland, suspected cases should be reported to the local field services office. In Northern Ireland, suspected cases should be reported to the DAERA Helpline on 0300 200 7840 or by contacting the local DAERA Direct Veterinary Office.

A map of the areas where restrictions apply can be found here.