Calls for government action on welfare and disease prevention
"It would be a false and dangerous economy to strip away a system of surveillance where local expertise is essential".
During a speech in Westminster last night, BVA president John Blackwell urged political parties to take action on animal welfare and disease prevention.
Launching the BVA's 2015 General Election Manifesto, he urged the next government to ensure that the UK's veterinary surveillance system is robust enough "to spot the next emerging threat".
The keynote speech coincided with news of an avian flu H7 outbreak in Hampshire. Commenting on the case, Mr Blackwell said: "It highlights exactly why the expertise of vets matters in fighting disease and protecting human and animal health.
"In Hampshire, it was a local vet who sampled for AI when it became clear the disease could not be ruled out of a diagnosis. Such vigilance and expert knowledge matters in a global world, where disease can be both pandemic and zoonotic.
"I will argue this evening that whatever party or parties form the next government it would be a false and dangerous economy to strip away a system of surveillance where local expertise is essential for a robust system of reporting and data collection."
Mr Blackwell also called for lobbying to protect vets' ability to responsibly prescribe and dispense veterinary medicines and an overhaul of the legislation regulating the sale of pets.
He took the opportunity to comment on the BVA's e-petition against animal slaughter without pre-stunning, which reached its target of 100,000 signatures last week.
"Vets are the guardians of animal welfare and we will continue to stand up for the highest standards of welfare for all animals. Top of that agenda is our campaign to end non-stun slaughter in the UK…
"With this public support behind us – support that has been overwhelming and greatly appreciated – we will be urging the next government to listen to the force of public opinion on animal welfare at slaughter. We will continue to push for a full parliamentary debate on the matter."
Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.
