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Welfare of Cats Bill introduced in Parliament
kitten litter
"The health and welfare of cats and kittens can be put at risk when there is a commercial interest in breeding for sale."

Currently there is no legislation in the UK specific to the breeding of cats for sale

The first ever proposals for laws on commercial cat breeding and cat welfare have been introduced in Parliament.

The Welfare of Cats Bill was introduced as a Private Members Bill to the House of Lords yesterday by Lord Black of Brentwood.

Currently there is no legislation in the UK specific to the breeding of cats for sale, and if passed by Parliament, the Bill would improve the welfare of breeding cats and their kittens.

Proposals include:

  • Inspection and licensing of cat breeders
  • Banning licensed breeders from allowing cats to have kittens before they are a year old
  • Limiting the number of litters bred from a female cat to one a year, and no more than three in her lifetime
  • Ensuring kittens are well socialised and healthy before they are sold

The proposals to regulate breeding of cats for profit have been welcomed by Cats Protection.

Jacqui Cuff, Cats Protection's advocacy manager, said the law governing the sale of pets dates back to the 1950s.

"New law is needed to protect cats from being bred and rebred for money as breeding machines," she said. "Repeated breeding is very draining and can be harmful for the mother cat. We know that the health and welfare of cats and kittens can be put at risk when there is a commercial interest in breeding for sale."

She continued: “We hope that regulation will deter those who, motivated by money, add yet more cats and kittens to an already saturated market. Breeding adds to the thousands of unwanted cats and kittens that are in the care of charities such as Cats Protection awaiting a loving home.”

To view the full Welfare of Cats Bill, visit http://services.parliament.uk/bills/?group=date&order=desc

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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. 

Click here for more...
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.