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Top event rider to teach young people about horse welfare


Equine event rider Mary King has teamed up with Blue Cross to help children and young people learn more about the responsibilities of pet ownership.

Mary stars in a new educational video highlighting the growing problems associated with the horse welfare crisis.

Volunteer education speakers, supported by videos featuring Mary, will spread the word about the five welfare needs, and the need to breed responsibly. 

Blue Cross education officer Gemma Taylor said: “In terms of horses, the biggest issue is the sheer number of them needing our help.


“Too many horses and not enough homes mean that UK charities are being swamped with abandoned, unwanted and neglected horses and ponies.

"We are thrilled to have teamed up with Mary King to help encourage people to understand and engage with the problem to help prevent it from escalating.”

Image courtesy of Blue Cross

 

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Reporting service for dead wild birds updated

News Story 1
 The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has updated its online reporting service for dead wild birds.

The new version allows those reporting a dead bird to drop a pin on a map when reporting the location. It also includes a wider range of wild bird species groups to select from when describing the bird.

The online service, which helps APHA to monitor the spread of diseases such as avian influenza, can be accessed here

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NI chief vet urges bluetongue vigilance

Northern Ireland's chief veterinary officer (CVO) has urged farmers to be vigilant for signs of bluetongue, after the Animal and Plant Health Agency warned there was a very high probability of further cases in Great Britain.

There have been 126 confirmed cases of bluetongue virus serotype 3 in England since November 2023, with no cases reported in Northern Ireland. The movement of live ruminants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland is currently suspended.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the virus is most likely to enter Northern Ireland through infected animals or germplasm (semen or ova) being imported.

Brian Dooher, Northern Ireland's CVO, said: "Surveillance for this disease within Northern Ireland has been increased to assist with detection at the earliest opportunity which will facilitate more effective control measures."

Farmers should report any suspicions of the disease to their private veterinary practitioner, the DAERA Helpline on 0300 200 7840 or their local DAERA Direct Veterinary Office.