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Local fund for retired police dogs joins national charity
Lady Bathurst with the chief constable of West Midlands Police.
The merger will allow continued support for West Midlands police dogs.

The Retired West Midlands Police Dog Benevolent Fund (RWMPD Benevolent Fund) has merged with the National Foundation for Retired Service Animals (NFRSA) to help ensure that continued support is offered to retired service dogs in the area.

Founded in 2014, the RWMPD Benevolent Fund has been run by a small group of volunteers, raising money to support the veterinary costs of retired police dogs via a membership subscription scheme as well as through sales and donations.

The owners of dogs and horses which have retired after working for the police, fire and rescue services, the prison service, Border Force, or the National Crime Agency can find it difficult to get insurance for the animal. They currently receive no financial support towards veterinary bills and other costs from the government.

Since it was launched in 2022 by Lady Bathurst, the NFRSA has provided more than £50,000 in financial grants. There are an estimated 3,500 retired service animals in the UK and demand for financial support has risen in recent times owing to the cost-of-living crisis.

Terry Grove, the former treasurer of the RWMPD Benevolent Fund, said: “The establishment and the success of the NFRSA provides an opportunity to transition the Benevolent Fund into the NFRSA which will ensure that retired West Midlands Police Dogs can continue to be afforded the support they have benefited from over the past 10 years.”

In a statement, the NFRSA said: “We are deeply honoured that a local charity such as the RWMPD Benevolent Fund has decided to join our family.

“The trustees, and in particular, Terry Grove, have worked over the last ten years to ensure their retired police dogs are taken care of and we will continue that legacy as a national charity going forward.”

Image © National Foundation for Retired Service Animals

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FIVP launches CMA remedies survey

News Story 1
 FIVP has shared a survey, inviting those working in independent practice to share their views on the CMA's proposed remedies.

The Impact Assessment will help inform the group's response to the CMA, as it prepares to submit further evidence to the Inquiry Group. FIVP will also be attending a hearing in November.

Data will be anonymised and used solely for FIVP's response to the CMA. The survey will close on Friday, 31 October 2025. 

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News Shorts
CMA to host webinar exploring provisional decisions

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is to host a webinar for veterinary professionals to explain the details of its provisional decisions, released on 15 October 2025.

The webinar will take place on Wednesday, 29 October 2025 from 1.00pm to 2.00pm.

Officials will discuss the changes which those in practice may need to make if the provisional remedies go ahead. They will also share what happens next with the investigation.

The CMA will be answering questions from the main parties of the investigation, as well as other questions submitted ahead of the webinar.

Attendees can register here before Wednesday, 29 October at 11am. Questions must be submitted before 10am on 27 October.

A recording of the webinar will be accessible after the event.