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BEVA welcomes new president
During his term as president Dr Pycock hopes to celebrate the positives of working as an equine veterinary professional.
VDS claims consultant inaugurated at congress

Jonathan Pycock of the Veterinary Defence Society (VDS) has been appointed as president of the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA).

Equine claims consultant Dr Pycock will take up his role at the end of BEVA Congress (13-16 September), taking over from Vicki Nicholls. Renate Weller will become president elect.

A graduate of the Royal Veterinary College (RVC),
Dr Pycock has been heavily involved in the BEVA’s clinical practice and ethics and welfare committees since joining the council for the second time in 2014.

During his term as president he hopes to celebrate the positives of working as an equine veterinary professional. He hopes to help members to achieve work/life balance, encouraging active participation in the association, as well as developing relationships between the BEVA and other equine organisations worldwide. He also wants to highlight the shortfall in research on equine reproduction and promote interest in this area.

He commented: “I feel honoured and privileged to have been given the opportunity to be BEVA president. It is a responsibility I do not take lightly. I am well up for doing my best and am 100 per cent ready for the challenging and exciting year ahead.”

Dr Pycock has a PhD in mare gynaecology. After working for private equine practices in the UK and the Southern Hemisphere, he took a job as assistant professor at the University of Utrecht Veterinary School in the Netherlands.

He set up his own equine practice in 1996 before selling the business to colleagues when he took on his current role at the VDS. He also lectures globally on equine reproduction and avoiding litigation in equine practices.

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Practices urged to audit neutering data

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.

It follows the release of the 2024 NASAN benchmarking report, which collates data from neutering procedures performed on dogs, cats and rabbits.

The benchmarking report enables practices in the UK and Ireland to compare their post-operative outcomes to the national average. This includes the rate of patients lost to follow-up, which in 2024 increased to 23 per cent.

Anyone from the practice can submit the data using a free template. The deadline for next report is February 2026.

Visit the RCVS Knowledge website to complete an audit. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
RCVS pays tribute to well-loved equine vet

The RCVS and the Riding Establishments Subcommittee has paid tribute to well-loved veterinary surgeon and riding establishment inspector, Rebecca Hamilton-Fletcher MRCVS.

Linda Belton MRCVS, RCVS President, said: "I, along with my colleagues on the RESC, RCVS Council, RCVS Standards Committee, as well as RCVS staff, was very saddened to hear of the sudden death of Rebecca, or Becca as we knew her, last week.

"She was a true advocate for equine welfare and in her many years on the RESC worked to continually improve the quality and consistency of riding establishment inspections, all in the interests of enhanced horse welfare and rider safety."