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Hen harrier vanishes in North Yorkshire
hen harrier
The disappearance of a hen harrier is “deeply concerning”.
Disappearance is a ‘serious blow’ to the population

A juvenile hen harrier has been reported missing from Upper Swaledale, North Yorkshire.

The young male, named Mick, is the fifth hen harrier to vanish in Northern England in just four months and his loss has been described as a ‘serious blow’.

Mick fledged in Northumberland last summer and was satellite tagged by a hen harrier expert from Natural England in July. His tag stopped transmitting in the Thwaite area on 21 December but searches have found no trace of the bird or equipment.

Natural England has reported the disappearance to North Yorkshire Police and is working with wildlife crime officers, local landowners, the Moorland Association and the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority.

Rob Cooke, a director at Natural England, said the disappearance of a hen harrier is “deeply concerning”.

David Butterworth, chief executive at the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, added: “It’s incredibly disappointing that the Yorkshire Dales’ reputation as a wonderful place to visit is being damaged by incidents like this. We have pledged to provide whatever support we can to help the Police and Natural England find out what happened in this particular case.”

Police are asking anyone with information to call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. When passing information, quote the reference number 12170014975.

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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.'