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Cats Protection names first Vet of the Year
Dr Beynon (centre) with Bolu Eso (left) and Rory Cowlam (right).
Richard Beynon received the accolade at the National Cat Awards.

Cats Protection has revealed the winner of its inaugural Vet of the Year award.

Richard Beynon, founder and director of Swansea Cat Clinic, was presented with the honour as part of the charity’s National Cat Awards ceremony on 18 September.

The award has been introduced by the welfare charity to recognise veterinary surgeons with ‘unwavering dedication, compassion and expert knowledge’. Dr Beynon was selected from eight other finalists to receive the title.

He was nominated for the award by one of his clients, Sarah Knight. When Ms Knight brought her cat, Solomon, to his practice, Dr Beynon’s cat-focused knowledge meant he was able to provide a diagnosis that had previously been elusive.

He was then selected to win by a panel including Cat Protection’s central veterinary officer Sarah Elliott, Blue Peter’s animal health expert Rory Cowlam and ITV’s Love Your Weekend’s Bolu Eso.

The award was presented to Dr Beynon as part of a ceremony at London’s One Marylebone on 18 September, hosted by novelist Dawn O’Porter.

Dr Elliott said: “The judging panel loved how Sarah described feeling so well supported by Richard during Solomon’s illness.

“Sarah said he was a hero! He really put her at ease and relieved a lot of the anxiety she was feeling around her beloved Solomon’s health problems. Sarah praised Richard for his ‘kindness, honesty, humour and professionalism’.

“We felt strongly that Richard’s compassion and dedication should be recognised with this very special award.”

Dr Beynon said: “It's amazing to be nominated for this award and I am truly humbled.

“This job is exceptionally hard. It’s difficult with some of the cases we have to manage and we’re not looking for recognition as vets but when it does come along, like this, it’s extremely flattering and I am so grateful.”

Image © Cats Protection

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Applications open for MMI research grants

News Story 1
 RCVS' Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) has launched round two of its veterinary mental health research grants.

Researchers have until 11.59pm on Wednesday, 28 May 2025 to apply for a grant for research which reflects MMI's 2025 focus areas.

Only one Impact Grant was awarded last year, and so this year there are two Discovery Grants and one Impact Grants available. Each Discovery Grant is worth £5,000 and the Impact Grant is worth £15,000.

For more information or to apply, email researchgrants@rcvs.org.uk to contact the MMI team.

 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Wales licenses Bluetongue vaccines for voluntary use

The Welsh government has approved three Bluetongue vaccines for emergency use in Wales.

From 1 March an online general licence will become available for the vaccines' use. They will then be obtainable on prescription and can be sold by veterinary practices.

After appropriate guidance, livestock keepers will be permitted to administer the vaccines themselves. The vaccines must be prescribed by a veterinary surgeon and detailed vaccination records must be kept for five years.

The decision comes as Bluetongue virus (BTV-3) continues to spread across England. The three vaccines are already licensed for use in England.

Richard Irvine, CVO for Wales, said: "This decision to licence these vaccines was informed by our recent risk assessment indicating that Wales is now at high risk of experiencing an incursion of Bluetongue this year.

"Our primary aim is to keep Bluetongue out of Wales through biosecurity, vigilance and safe sourcing of livestock."