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Sheepdog travels 240 miles to get home
sheepdog
Pero is said to have bolted while working in the fields in Cockermouth. (stock photo).
Pero arrived in Wales 12 days after disappearing from Cumbria
  

A sheepdog is thought to have travelled 240 miles to his former home in Wales, arriving back home just 12 days after escaping from his new home in Cumbria.

Four-year-old working sheepdog Pero had been sent to a farm in Cockermouth, Cumbria, on a trial basis. But on 8 April, he bolted while out working in the fields and was nowhere to be found.

Pero's former owners, Alan and Shan James, were shocked when the dog appeared at their farm near Aberystwyth just 12 days later. The family now plan to keep Pero.
 
It is not known how he managed to make his way back home but Mrs James said he wasn't hungry or weak when he arrived, leading her to believe he may have sought help from kind strangers along the way.

The family are hoping to find out if anyone saw an unfamiliar black and white dog in the past two weeks.

Mrs James is quoted by BBC News as saying: "No one called us to say that they'd dropped the dog off, and even though he has a microchip no-ones's been in touch either to say that they've found him.

"It's a total mystery as to how Pero has managed to find his way back to us. We know that dogs can find their way home, but 240 miles is a long way to travel."

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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.