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BSAVA Congress News Archive
Charity to hold first volunteer conference
5th June 2017
Battersea Dogs and Cats Home is set to hold its first Volunteering and Fostering Conference on 7 June to celebrate the hard work of its volunteers and foster carers. Speakers at the event will include cat behaviour counsellor Vicky Halls, dog trainer Sarah Fisher and Karl Wilding, a director at the National Council for Voluntary Organisations.

In 2016, nearly 1,400 volunteers and foster carers gave over 140,000 hours - the equivalent of 16 years - of their time to the stray, abandoned and unwanted animals at Battersea.
Zika virus confirmed in India
31st May 2017
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has confirmed three cases of Zika virus in India.

In a statement, WHO said that routine surveillance detected a laboratory-confirmed case of Zika in the district of Ahmedabad. Two additional cases were then identified through the Acute Febrile Illness and the Antenatal clinic surveillance.

In response to the cases, WHO has shared the national guidelines and action plan on Zika virus disease and containment of spread in case of any outbreak. It has also set up an Inter-Ministerial Task Force to monitor emerging and re-emerging diseases and regularly review the global situation on Zika.
BVNA names charity of the year
26th May 2017
The Daphne Shipman Benevolent Fund has been named as BVNA's charity of the year. The fund was created to support BVNA members, their spouses, relations or dependents in times of need. It was set up in memory of Daphne Shipman, who was the BVNA Congress chief steward for a number of years, but sadly lost her fight against cancer in 1999. Team BVNA will be climbing the O2 to raise funds and awareness. A JustGiving page has been set up: justgiving.com/daphneshipman-benevolentfund
Endangered turtle born at London Zoo
23rd May 2017
An endangered spiny hill turtle has become the first of its kind to hatch at ZSL London Zoo - just in time for World Turtle Day (23 May).

Zookeepers filmed the moment the turtle came out of its shell on a time lapse camera, after keeping a watchful eye on the egg during its 136 day incubation period.

The turtle weighed a tiny 33g at birth and measured just 61mm, although it will eventually grow to around 27cm in size.
Heather McCann retires from Cats Protection role
18th May 2017
Cat lover Heather McCann has stepped down from her role as Cats Protection chairman after 12 years of service.

During her time, Cats Protection has expanded its welfare work from 142,000 cats helped in 2005 to 190,000 last year. There has also been a marked increase in the number of volunteers helping the charity.

While she is no longer chairman, Heather will see out her term as a trustee before stepping down altogether next year. She hopes to spend more time with her partner Ian and her adopted cat, Ruby, and will continue to volunteer for the charity's Croydon branch.

Image (C) Skye Brackpool Photography
Ben Fogle becomes patron of Hearing Dogs
16th May 2017
Television presenter and adventurer Ben Fogle has become patron of Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, the charity co-founded by his father 35 years ago.

The announcement comes at the start of Deaf Awareness Week (15-21 May), as the broadcaster launches the Charity's 'Deafness doesn't have to be lonely' campaign.

The campaign aims to highlight the profound positive affect that hearing dogs have on the wellbeing of their deaf recipients, such as reducing loneliness, isolation, anxiety and stress.
HM The Queen opens new centre for elephant care
13th April 2017
HM The Queen, accompanied by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, has officially unveiled ZSL Whipsnade Zoo's brand new Centre for Elephant Care.

Set amidst 30 acres of rolling paddocks, the custom-designed Centre for Elephant Care is the new home for the Zoo's herd of nine Asian elephants.

The Centre will provide more than 700m of indoor space and contains an array of elephant-friendly features, including dimming lights to mimic night-time and one metre-deep soft sand flooring.
Hen charity calls on well-loved brands to avoid the use of caged eggs
11th April 2017
The British Hen Welfare Trust (BHWT) is calling on McVitie's, Millie's Cookies and Mr Kipling to start using solely free range eggs in their products.

Through the #BHWTFreeRange campaign, BHWT is also encouraging members of the public to avoid other products which don't use free range eggs, and to check labels to ensure that 'free range' is clearly stated on the packet.

"We know the public support high welfare for hens and we work tirelessly to ensure more hens enjoy a free range lifestyle," said charity founder Jane Howarth MBE. "We want consumers to write to McVitie's and Mr Kipling asking them to adopt a free range policy today, so Jaffa Cakes and French Fancies can be eaten guilt-free."
Mission Rabies education programme reaches one million children
3rd April 2017
UK-based charity Mission Rabies is celebrating after reaching one million children though its rabies education programme.

Since 2015, the charity has saved countless lives by delivering rabies awareness lessons directly to children in India and Malawi.

To mark the achievement, Mission Rabies has launched a crowdfunding campaign to extend the programme to the next 15,000 children in southern Malawi.

Having educated the pupils of the government schools, the charity now seeks to extend its programme to remote, rural schools who have so far not been visited.
Get snapping for street cats!
31st March 2017
International Cat Care's (iCatCare) photography competition has returned for 2017 with a brand new theme.

This year the charity is looking for images of street cats (also thought of as stray cats, feral cats or community cats) to feature in their 2018 calendar and other merchandise.

Winners will be invited to attend iCatCare's annual awards event in London, where the overall winner, who will receive 500 in prize money, will be announced.

To enter, visit the iCatCare website, fill in your details and upload your photo!
Volunteers sought for wildlife survey
29th March 2017
People's Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) is seeking volunteers to record sightings of wild mammals they see in green spaces, as part of its 2017 Living with Mammals survey.

Between Monday 3 April and the end of June, volunteers will be asked to select a site close to their home or place of work and spend a short time each week looking out for wild mammals or the signs they leave behind.

Volunteers can record their sightings online or via paper forms. To take part, register online at www.ptes.org/living-with-mammals
New DNA testing scheme for the Russian black terrier
24th March 2017
A new DNA testing scheme for juvenile laryngeal paralysis and polyneuropathy (JLPP) in the Russian black terrier has been approved by The Kennel Club.

JLPP is a genetic disease that affects the nerves. In affected dogs, it starts with the nerve that supplies the muscles of the larynx leading to muscle weakness and laryngeal paralysis.

To find out which laboratories the Kennel Club is able to record results from, and which labs will send results direct to the Kennel Club, visit thekennelclub.org.uk.