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Armed forces veterans provide enrichment for rescued donkeys
The whirligig is important to satisfy the donkeys' behavioural needs.
Volunteers built bespoke whirligig frames for The Donkey Sanctuary.

A group of veterans from the Armed Forces Community Support Hub in Devon have been supporting enrichment activities for donkeys at Sidmouth’s Donkey Sanctuary.

For over a year, the volunteers have been supporting the charity with maintenance work, including painting, yard maintenance and innovative storage solutions.

Their latest project has been a bespoke whirligig enrichment frame, built using recycled wood. The veterans also collected hazel from around the site and fixed it onto the structure.

The structure is already being explored by the residents at the Donkey Sanctuary’s Donkey Assisted Activities centre.

As donkeys are naturally curious, enrichment structures such as whirligigs are important to satisfy their behavioural needs. This gives them opportunities to interact with their environment, make decisions and remain mentally active.

In return, the Donkey Sanctuary invite the volunteers to spend their afternoons with the donkeys.

The Donkey Sanctuary says that spending time with the donkeys has proven therapeutic for the veterans’ wellbeing. It says that the members have found peace and increased mental wellness through their time with the donkeys.

John, an Armed Forces veteran and member of the Armed Forces Community Support Hub, said: “There is a comradeship between the Hub members, where we all feel we can be ourselves. I like spending time with the donkeys which brings me a sense of calm that often evades me in everyday life."

Sarah Worth, research officer at the Donkey Sanctuary, said:  “It was great fun to work with such a fantastic group of people. They were keen to get stuck into a building project, worked together well and solved problems as a team.

“The best part was how on board they all were about donkey enrichment and how these devices can help us to provide the donkeys with browse in a new and interesting way.”

Image © The Donkey Sanctuary

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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."