Government & Legislation

VN removed from register following animal poisoning conviction

The Veterinary Nurse (VN) Disciplinary Committee of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) directed that a Dunbartonshire-based veterinary nurse’s name be removed from the Register of Veterinary Nurses following her conviction in 2017 for causing unnecessary pain and suffering to an animal. In August 2017, Georgina Bretman was convicted…

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HMRC raises millions from tax-dodging puppy farmers

More than £5m has been raised by an HMRC taskforce tackling dishonest dog breeders who were selling pups on the black market. HMRC set up the taskforce in October 2015 after discussions with animal welfare groups suggested tens of thousands of puppies were being reared in unregulated conditions and sold…

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Scottish public backs ban on ‘designer pet’ breeding

Some 96.8% of 659 respondents backed a government consultation regarding its proposal to introduce new regulations for the licensing of dog, cat and rabbit breeding activities. The breeding of cats and rabbits in Scotland is currently unregulated and under the regulations an individual who sells or acquires a cat or…

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VMD lays out preparations for medicinal supply in no-deal Brexit

The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) has set out detail on the preparations underway to ensure a continued supply of veterinary medicines in a no deal scenario. The VMD and the pharmaceutical industry have already established procedures to deal with medicine shortages, working closely with those operating in the supply chain…

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Pet owners ‘flock’ to vets over post-Brexit travel concerns

Continuing uncertainty around Brexit has led to a spike in the number of anxious pet owners visiting their local vet for pet travel guidance in the last three months, figures from the latest British Veterinary Association (BVA) survey reveal. BVA’s Voice of the Veterinary Profession survey showed that 85% of…

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Home dog boarders ‘fear new rules will force them out of business’

An animal trades insurance specialist has said dog daycare and home boarding businesses across England are worried for their livelihoods because of new legislation. Andrew Ball, of animal-related business insurance specialist Cliverton, welcomed new government guidelines to streamline and modernise existing licensing controls for businesses that work with animals but…

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BVA: ‘Cautious welcome’ to gov’s dangerous dogs report response

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has called the government’s response to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) committee’s ‘Controlling dangerous dogs’ report “disappointing” in its refusal to ban breed-specific legislation. However, BVA has welcomed the research commissioned into the effectiveness of such legislation as an encouraging first step towards…

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French Bulldog and Pug puppies most illegally imported breeds

French Bulldogs and Pugs top the list of dog breeds vets most commonly suspected of being imported illegally into the UK, statistics released by the British Veterinary Association (BVA) have revealed. Just one year on from the launch of its #BreedtoBreathe campaign, BVA’s Voice of the Veterinary Profession survey has…

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RCVS and BVA call for vet surgeons to be restored to Shortage Occupation List

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) and British Veterinary Association (BVA) have called for veterinary surgeons to be restored to the Shortage Occupation List as part of the UK’s preparations for leaving the EU. The organisations made the joint submission to the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) as part of…

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EU and member states endorse FEDIAF code of pet food labelling

A new edition of the FEDIAF Labelling Code has been approved by the EU Standing Committee for Animal Nutrition.   It now includes updates since the first edition of the code was endorsed back in 2011, which is based on the EU Regulation for the Marketing and Use of Feed.…

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