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Tributes paid to iconic Dolly the sheep
Sir Ian Wilmut and Dolly
Original research team leader Sir Ian Wilmut with Dolly.

Fans celebrate 20-year anniversary of birth

Scientists involved in the original creation of Dolly will join members of the public to mark the twentieth anniversary of her birth.  Infamous in the scientific breakthrough she embodied, fans will be invited to reflect on her life and share their hopes for what associated research may achieve.

Work continues at the Roslin Institute in Midlothian, where Dolly was produced, to develop gene-editing technologies to alter DNA to improve the health and welfare of farmed animals.

Professor Sir Ian Wilmut, original research team leader, said: “When Dolly was born we knew that we had achieved something extraordinary. But I don’t think any of us would have predicted the level of public interest in our research.”

Dolly was the first mammal to be cloned from an adult cell, in a process that involved replacing the nucleus of an embryo with a nucleus from a cell from another animal. The resulting birth generated a media frenzy regarding the ethics of cloning and its possibilities.  

However the process of extracting a nucleus from an adult cell and the acceptance of it by an embryonic cell paved the way for genetic modification of animals and ultimately human stem-cell research possibilities.

Dolly will be displayed from Friday 8 July at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh as part of a ten-gallery project devoted to science, technology design and fashion.

Image © Roslin Institute

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Annual submission deadline small pet animal exemptions

News Story 1
 Companies marketing medicines for small pets exempt from authorisation must submit their annual return to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) by 30 November 2026.

Submitting this annual return ensures continued compliance with regulatory requirements for products marketed without a full Marketing Authorisation. The exemption specifically applies to products intended for animals, cage birds, terrarium animals, small rodents, ferrets and rabbits.

For further details and submission guidelines, visit the gov.uk website.  

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News Shorts
BVA urges 'continued vigilance' over bluetongue

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has urged vigilance following a concerning rise in Bluetongue (BTV) cases in sheep and cattle.

In a recent statement, the BVA noted that members are reporting more severe clinical signs and higher mortality rates than in previous years.

'We know that farm vets are working hard to support farmers and animals affected by this outbreak, during what is an extremely difficult time for all involved,' they stated. 'Continued vigilance to identify disease early is vital and vaccination remains the best way of protecting animals from this disease.'