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Five rescued horses ready for rehoming
World Horse Welfare says thousands of horses are subjected to horse smuggling each year.
The horses were rescued from a smuggling operation at Dover port.

Five horses from the ‘Dover 26’ – 26 horses discovered in an illegal smuggling operation at Dover port – are now ready to be rehomed.

The group, including a filly, had been undergoing rehabilitation from World Horse Welfare at its Rescue and Rehoming Centre.

Authorities discovered 26 horses in the smuggling operation. Several were lacking the appropriate paperwork and were suffering from health issues which made them unfit to travel. Some were believed to be destined for a European slaughterhouse.

After World Horse Welfare’s initial assessment, one of the horses had to be euthanised to avoid further suffering. Following this, a further two horses required euthanasia due to their conditions.

The other horses were taken to the charity’s Hall Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre in Norfolk. The team have since been providing the horses with specialist care and tailor-made rehabilitation programmes.

Now, despite their difficult experiences, the first five of the Dover 26 are ready for rehoming. Crocus, Dior, Foxy, Heyday and Mair join over 70 other horses and ponies from World Horse Welfare that are looking for a permanent home.

Lizzie Bird, assistant farm manager at Hall Farm, said: “I remember so clearly the arrival of the Dover 26, they were so frightened and they’d clearly all been through a harrowing experience. Soon after they arrived, we found that the group was carrying equine influenza and the outbreak forced the farm to go into lockdown while the horses were treated.

“Since then, we have worked hard to build their trust in people with careful handling and dedicated care. We are delighted that the first of the group are ready to rehome.”

World Horse Welfare says that thousands of horses are subjected to horse smuggling each year, enduring long journeys and poor conditions.

It has now launched a campaign to bring the issue of horse smuggling into Parliament. The charity is encouraging supporters to write to their MP to ask them to speak up about horse smuggling in Parliament.

For more information about rehoming a horse from the charity, visit its website. To take part in World Horse Welfare’s campaign against horse smuggling, follow this link.

Image © Shutterstock

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FIVP Practice Matters podcast returns for Series 2

News Story 1
 The Federation of Independent Veterinary Practices (FIVP) has announced that its podcast, FIVP Practice Matters, will be returning for a second series next year.

The bi-weekly podcast will return on Tuesday, 14 January 2025 with an episode on sustainability with Alison Lambert. The second series will include a range of new and familiar guests sharing veterinary initiatives and news from independent practices.

The podcast is available on Spotify and will now also be released on Apple Podcasts. More details about FIVP and the podcast can be found on its website

Click here for more...
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Further cases of H5N1 confirmed in Norfolk

APHA has officially confirmed that two more cases of H5N1 have been found on premises in Norfolk.

Testing confirmed that highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 was present at premises near Attleborough, as well as premises near Hingham in South Norfolk. The case near Hingham follows a slaughter on suspicion which was declared on 23 December.

A 3km Protection Zone and 10km Surveillance Zone have been implemented at each premises, and all the poultry on each premises will be humanely culled.

A third case has also been identified near Beverley in East Riding of Yorkshire.

APHA is reminding bird keepers to remain vigilant and follow biosecurity measures to prevent more outbreaks. Details on the current disease control zones and biosecurity guidance can be found on the APHA website.