Your data on MRCVSonline
The nature of the services provided by Vision Media means that we might obtain certain information about you.
Please read our Data Protection and Privacy Policy for details.

In addition, (with your consent) some parts of our website may store a 'cookie' in your browser for the purposes of
functionality or performance monitoring.
Click here to manage your settings.
Return to BSAVA Home page
Search Our Jobs
MRCVSonline on Twitter

BSAVA Congress News Archive
Report reveals scale of pet owners who do no pre-purchase research
12th June 2018
More than five million pet owners (around one in four) undertook no research at all before taking on their pet, according to the eighth annual PDSA Animal Wellbeing Report.

The report, which surveyed more than 4,600 pet owners and veterinary surgeons, also found that just five per cent of pet owners sought advice from a veterinary surgeon before their purchase.

The PDSA is now calling on the profession to engage with prospective pet owners before they take on an animal. "This way they will be empowered to make informed choices and be equipped with the knowledge to ensure a lifetime of wellbeing for their new pet," the charity said.
AHT video series champions ridden horse welfare
7th June 2018
A series of educational videos aimed at helping riders, owners, trainers and vets recognise pain and lameness in horses have been produced by Equitopia in collaboration with the Animal Health Trust.

Recognising Subtle Lameness is a four-part video series presented by AHT equine orthopaedic specialist Sue Dyson. Each episode gives the viewer clear, practical guidance on how to identify pain and brings to life key findings from Dr Dyson's studies.

The videos have already clocked up almost 100,000 views and can be found at https://youtu.be/0lPvyxzSER0 https://youtu.be/VDvzKV8H4XQ https://youtu.be/QUzvYluYsSo. Video four will be released later this month.
PDSA seeking nominations for new children's award
5th June 2018
Leading veterinary charity PDSA has teamed up with the creators of Paw Patrol for the inaugural Little Heroes Paw Awards 2018.

The eight awards champion 'little heroes' for the challenges they have faced in their lives and how they have touched the lives of others. Whether they have overcome adversity, shown outstanding bravery or shown maturity beyond their years, the awards celebrate children's real-life stories.

The awards include the Ryder Award for 'PDSA Pet Hero of the Year.' This special award will recognise a child who has been an outstanding support to their pet during times of trouble or change. Full details about the awards can be found at pawawards.co.uk
BEVA Congress to introduce childcare facilities
31st May 2018
Europe's biggest equine veterinary conference, BEVA Congress, has announced that it will be providing a crche at its 2018 event to help out working mums and dads.

BEVA president Jon Pycock said: "A significant number of BEVA members have young children and we want to make it as easy as possible for them to enjoy Congress without having to worry about making separate plans for childcare at home."

BEVA Congress 2018 will take place at the ICC in central Birmingham from 12-15 September. For more information about the crche and to reserve your child's place, email Jocelyn@beva.org.uk or call (0) 1638 723 558.
Sky lanterns and balloons banned from festival
29th May 2018
BBC Radio One has been praised for banning sky lanterns and balloons at last weekend's 'Biggest Weekend' in Swansea, owing to the danger they pose to animals. Sky lanterns are popular with festival go-ers but they have a devastating effect on animal welfare, as they can trap, entangle or be ingested by animals. Mass helium balloon releases can also have grave impacts on animals.

The RSPCA led a campaign urging local authorities to ban the release of sky lanterns on their land in Wales - a step that has now been taken by each of the country's 22 councils. Wildlife expert Llewelyn Lowen said the move is "really positive news for animals in the local area".
Art installation uses 15,000 discarded plastic bottles
25th May 2018
London Zoo has unveiled a new art installation made from 15,000 discarded single-use plastic bottles, all of which were collected from London and its waterways. The installation, dubbed the Space of Waste, is 16ft tall and was created by the artist and architect Nick Wood. It houses information about plastic pollution and the small steps that everyone can take to tackle the issue.

Mr Wood commented: "Building this piece with ZSL was a satisfying challenge, as plastic bottles are not usually seen as a building material - recycling them into this structure, which will remain at ZSL London Zoo all summer, was a great way to turn the culprits themselves into a stark visual reminder of the worsening plastic problem in our city." Image David Parry/PAWIRE/ZSL
UK a step closer to ivory ban
24th May 2018
A UK ban on ivory sales is one step closer to coming into force, as the government has introduced the Ivory Bill to parliament. The ban covers items of all ages, rather than just ivory carved after 1947. Anyone breaching the ban will face an unlimited fine or up to five years in jail.

Conservationists have welcomed the bill, which comes less than six weeks after the government published the results of a consultation on this issue. Around 55 African elephants are now slaughtered for their ivory every day and the illegal wildlife trade is estimated to be worth 17 billion a year.
New app to improve street dog welfare
4th April 2018
A new free app will support vital work in clinics caring for stray dogs around the world, experts say. Created by the University of Edinburgh, the tool allows vets to track the wellbeing of dogs going through catch-neuter-return schemes, which are common in countries with large numbers of strays.

Vets say the welfare of individual dogs can be overlooked during the process of capture, transport or surgery. The app, piloted across Asia and Africa, helps staff to monitor welfare, spot signs of distress and develop strategies to improve care. It was launched at BSAVA Congress on Friday 6 April.
New Blue Cross app to make pets superstars
27th March 2018
National charity Blue Cross has launched an app to allow pet owners to take part in a new social media campaign. The Superstar Pets app lets users create a short, snappy video of their furry friend and share it on Facebook.

The campaign has been designed to celebrate the role pets play in our lives whilst raising awareness of those animals which aren't so lucky. TV dancing stars Katya and Neil Jones are the first to get involved in the campaign by creating a video of their dog Crumble.
Charity reveals it treated thousands of pets with dental issues last year
21st March 2018
Battersea Dogs & Cats Home has revealed that its veterinary team performs dental procedures on more than 170 animals every month. Last year the charity says it extracted hundreds of teeth from more than 800 animals and carried out thousands of routine scales and polishes.

To combat the problem, Battersea is urging pet owners to get regular dental checks at their vets, implement a daily oral care routine, feed a good dental chew and only give toys that are designed for dogs, including gentle rubber toys that are less wearing on the teeth.
Campaign highlights 'devastating impact' of smoking around pets
14th March 2018
Leading vet charity PDSA has launched a campaign highlighting the 'devastating impact' that smoking can have on pets. The launch coincides with National No Smoking Day (14 March 2018) and aims to raise awareness of the risks of passive smoking and how to keep pets safe.

"Recent studies highlight that this is a really serious issue, and we want pet owners to know that they can make a real difference by simply choosing to smoke outdoors away from their pets," said PDSA vet Olivia Anderson-Nathan. "We want pet owners to realise that, if they smoke, their pets smoke too."
Charity heads to Myanmar for ambitious rabies project
13th March 2018
Animal charity FOUR PAWS has launched a major new project to tackle the spread of rabies in Myanmar. A team of around 50 people are aiming to vaccinate 50,000 stray dogs across 267 villages across the capital, Naypyidaw.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) there are around 1,000 human rabies deaths in Myanmar every year. Authorities often kill stray dogs due to fear of rabies and lack of information. FOUR PAWS hopes its ambitious campaign will show Myanmar and other countries that killing free-roaming dogs is not a solution to rabies. Image VIER PFOTEN