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Battersea dogs guzzle 50 tonnes of food
Dog eating
Battersea dogs wolfed down more than 42,000 tins of wet food last year.
Hungry hounds eat the equivalent weight of 12 elephants per year

Lonely hounds at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home wolfed down nearly 50 tonnes of food in 2013 alone, the charity reports. It is the equivalent of four double decker buses, 12 elephants or 660 great Danes.

Battersea fed more than 5,000 dogs last year, getting through 42,384 tins of wet food and 28,672kg of dry food. Not forgetting the 134,000 poo bags staff used to clean up the mess!

Likewise, Battersea cats munched their way through 58,944 pouches of cat food and 1,264kg of cat biscuits.

On average, 13 dogs and eight cats arrived at the rescue home every day in 2013. The charity receives about 1,000 calls each month from people who can no longer care for or afford their pets.

In addition, another 3,451 stray dogs and cats arrived at the charity last year after they were found tied up or wandering the streets.

Battersea recently launched an appeal to raise 1.9m to help build new state-of-the-art kennels for its canine residents.

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Equine Disease Surveillance report released for Q4 2025

News Story 1
 The latest Equine Disease Surveillance report has been released, with details on equine disease from Q4 of 2025.

The report, produced by Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance, includes advice on rule changes for equine influenza vaccination.

Statistics and maps detail recent outbreaks of equine herpes virus, equine influenza, equine strangles and equine grass sickness. A series of laboratory reports provides data on virology, bacteriology, parasitology and toxicosis.

This issue also features a case study of orthoflavivus-associated neurological disease in a horse in the UK. 

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News Shorts
RCVS annual renewal fee for vets due

RCVS' annual renewal fee for veterinary surgeons is now due. Vets must pay their renewal fee before Wednesday, 1 April 2026.

This year's standard annual fee has increased to 431 from last year's 418. This is an approximately three per cent increase, as approved by RCVS Council and the Privy Council.

Tshidi Gardner, RCVS treasurer, said: "The small fee increase will be used to help deliver both our everyday activities and our new ambitious Strategic Plan, which includes aims such as achieving new legislation, reviewing the Codes of Professional Conduct and supporting guidance, and continuing to support the professions through activities such as the Mind Matters Initiative, RCVS Academy and career development."

A full breakdown of the new fees is on the RCVS website. Information about tax relief is available on the UK government website.