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Worcester Cathedral to hold 'Vicar of Dibley' style service
Wendy
Wendy, one of the greyhounds that will benefit from the service.
Animal Blessing to celebrate the Retired Greyhound Trust's 40th anniversary

Hundreds of hounds and their owners will congregate at Worcester Cathedral on Saturday 18 April for a special charity service in aid of the Retired Greyhound Trust (RGT) .

The service will be held in a style reminiscent of a ceremony in the BBC Sitcom, Vicar of Dibley.

The "All Creatures Great and Small" Animal Blessing is one of a number of events being held to celebrate the RGT's 40th anniversary. It will include a special, animal friendly service which includes animal-related hymns, music, readings.

Furthermore, a special Memory Tree will be available on which those who wish to remember a pet that has passed away can place a memorial heart.

After the special blessing, pets and their owners will be able to enjoy refreshments and browse a number of charity guest stalls.

Tracey Parbery, secretary of the Hall Green branch of the RGT and organiser of the blessing said: “We are excited to welcome greyhounds, owners, RGT volunteers and supporters to this very special service which commemorates 40 years of the Retired Greyhound Trust’s work. The RGT has found loving homes for over 70,000 greyhounds since 1975, and I thought this blessing would be a lovely way to recognise this achievement.

“We would like to extend an invitation to anyone who loves animals, supports the RGT or who would simply like to find out more about the charity’s work. It promises to be a great day for dogs and owners alike, and we hope many people will join us for this unique celebration.”

The Blessing starts at 2pm and admission is free. For further information, contact Hall Green Retired Greyhound Trust on 07703 280321 or by email via hallgreenrgt.co.uk.

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Equine Disease Surveillance report released for Q4 2025

News Story 1
 The latest Equine Disease Surveillance report has been released, with details on equine disease from Q4 of 2025.

The report, produced by Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance, includes advice on rule changes for equine influenza vaccination.

Statistics and maps detail recent outbreaks of equine herpes virus, equine influenza, equine strangles and equine grass sickness. A series of laboratory reports provides data on virology, bacteriology, parasitology and toxicosis.

This issue also features a case study of orthoflavivus-associated neurological disease in a horse in the UK. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NSA webinar explores sheep tailing and castration

The National Sheep Association (NSA) is to host a free webinar on the castration and tail docking of lambs.

The webinar, 'Understanding the tailing and castration consultation: A guide for sheep farmers', will be hosted online on Monday, 2 March 2026 at 7.30pm.

It comes during a government consultation into the methods used for these procedures. Farmers are encouraged to engage before the consultation period closes on Monday, 9 March 2026.

The webinar offers clear and actionable guidance to support farmers to contribute meaningfully to the consultation and prepare for potential changes.

On the panel will be former SVS president Kate Hovers, farmer and vet Ann Van Eetvelt and SRUC professor in Animal Health and Veterinary Sciences Cathy Dwyer. Each panel member will utilise their own specialism and expertise to evaluate risks and outcomes to sheep farming.

Find out more about the webinar on the NSA website.