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Huge spike in abandoned dogs following Ebola
Stray dog
Currently there are just four vets in Sierra Leone trying to vaccinate stray dogs.
World Animal Protection push to make Sierra Leone rabies free

Fear of Ebola has left some 500,000 dogs on the streets in Sierra Leone, according to World Animal Protection.

The animal charity say the Ebola epidemic of 2014 caused some owners to abandon their dogs on the streets in fear that they could pass on the disease.

However, this has led to a massive increase in the number of stray dogs and a fear of rabies, which kills five times more people in Africa than Ebola.

The situation in Freetown has reached crisis point, where stay dogs are being seen as both a nuisance and a threat to the community. Currently there are just four vets in Sierra Leone trying to vaccinate stray dogs against rabies.

“The situation in Sierra Leone is urgent, infrastructure is battered and there is a weak capacity with only a few qualified veterinary surgeons,” said Tennyson Williams, World Animal Protection.

“ A major outbreak of rabies would be catastrophic - the experience of Ebola points to that,” he adds.

World Animal Protection work across the globe to end the cruel culling of dogs in the name of rabies.

Veterinary surgeon Dr Jalloh, who works in Sierra Leone, said that one of the charity's initial objectives is to push to make Sierra Leone rabies free.

“The threat of rabies is the main cause of the [stray dog] problem and is therefore the starting point. It is important to ensure people feel safe with dogs,” he said.

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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.