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Parliament to debate hedgehog protection petition
The BHPS has announced that hedgehogs are now vulnerable to extinction in the UK.
The British Hedgehog Preservation Society's petition has gained over 100,000 signatures. 

A petition calling for greater legal protection of hedgehogs is to be debated by parliament on 5 July 2021. The petition gained over 100,000 signatures, and can be read here.

Created by the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS), the petition calls on the Government to move hedgehogs to schedule five of the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act, which will allow them greater protection.

The petition comes after the BHPS announced that hedgehogs have now been classed as vulnerable to extinction in the UK in July 2020. Various reasons for this vulnerable include: loss of nesting and foraging habitat; lack of connectivity between hedgerows and fencing; and hedgehog death on roads, with statistics suggesting that 335,000 hedgehogs are killed on British roads annually.

As the BHPS has noted, the petition became even more relevant recently as the 2021 7th Quinquennial Review seeks to change the eligibility criteria of the hedgehog, proposing that the country-based statutory nature conservation bodies will only retain protected status for species that are in imminent danger of extinction in Great Britain. 

The effect of these changes would mean that the current minor level of protection afforded to hedgehogs will be completely removed, with the changes making it legal to sell hedgehogs, and removes the protection for hedgehogs from killing and injury. 

In a comment on the petition (available to read here) the government responded, “There are currently no plans to give hedgehogs further legal protection. An evidence-based review of Schedule 5 of the Act is in progress and we will consider any recommendations arising from this.” 

Any members of the public concerned about hedgehog welfare are being encouraged by the BHPS to contact their MP ahead of the debate, asking them to attend the debate and support the petition. They have provided suggested wording, and have asked supporters to contact their MP before 5 July, and their advice can be found at britishhedgehogs.org.uk/call-to-action 

The debate will be held on Monday, 5 July, from 4.30pm to 6pm, and will be broadcast online. 

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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."