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WVS launches animal welfare challenge for vet students
The winner will have the opportunity to work with WVS to bring their project to life.
Students are tasked with designing a project to champion an international issue.

Worldwide Veterinary Service (WVS) has launched a new competition designed to empower veterinary students interested in international animal welfare.

Created in partnership with the British Veterinary Association (BVA), the Global Veterinary Challenge Award challenges students to design a project to address a global veterinary issue that they care about. 

The winning project could received up to £100,000 in funding, with the opportunity for the winner to work alongside WVS to action their project.

Students are invited to design and develop an innovative solution to their chosen issue. The solution must be scalable, sustainable and economically effective.

Their proposal should explain the animal welfare issue it seeks to address and why it is important. Students then present their intervention to the issue, detailing how the project could be implemented.

Applications will be assessed across two stages, during which the Global Veterinary Challenge Panel will judge the proposals. In the second stage, applicants will work with a WVS project manager to develop their idea further.

The winning project will be revealed at the BVA Awards during BVA Live in 2026.

Luke Gamble, CEO and founder of WVS, said: “The profession is most powerful when we work together as team. Most of us have causes we care about and sometimes it is incredibly hard to find a way to champion them. This challenge solves that.

“The winning idea will not only have funding but full support to drive forward a project that will make an impactful difference. I couldn’t be more excited to see what comes in – remember, anyone can do easy – applicants need to think bold and big.”

Elizabeth Mullineaux, BVA president, said: The WVS Global Challenge Award represents an outstanding opportunity for vet students to dive straight in and deliver real world welfare change for animals across the globe, all before they’ve even graduated.

“We’re looking forward to seeing the project ideas as they come in and the incredible impact this award will have, for both animals but also the students taking part.”

The deadline for initial applications is 14 October 2025. More details can be found on the WVS website.

Image © Shutterstock

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Practices urged to audit neutering data

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.

It follows the release of the 2024 NASAN benchmarking report, which collates data from neutering procedures performed on dogs, cats and rabbits.

The benchmarking report enables practices in the UK and Ireland to compare their post-operative outcomes to the national average. This includes the rate of patients lost to follow-up, which in 2024 increased to 23 per cent.

Anyone from the practice can submit the data using a free template. The deadline for next report is February 2026.

Visit the RCVS Knowledge website to complete an audit. 

Click here for more...
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