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Goshawk rescue prompts ownership warning
Owned goshawks must be registered by their keeper under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Owned goshawks must be either ringed or microchipped.

An illegally-owned goshawk rescued from a town in Wales has prompted the RSPCA to issue a warning about the ownership of these spectacular birds of prey.

The male goshawk was spotted by a member of the public in Tonypandy and collected by the RSPCA. He was wearing jesses but was not ringed or microchipped – suggesting the bird was owned illegally.

RSPCA chief inspector Elaine Spence said: “The law surrounding goshawks is clear - but this incident has prompted us to issue a reminder to the public.

“Except in specific and time-limited cases of rehabilitation, keepers must register them, and either ring or microchip them - but that hadn't happened to this goshawk. This gives us cause to believe this goshawk was illegally owned - and sadly, we know goshawk nests are frequently a target for wildlife crime.”

Owned goshawks should be registered by their keeper under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and must be either ringed or microchipped. The only exception is for those rehabilitating a sick, injured or disabled bird of prey, where authorised persons can provide treatment under general licence for a period of 15 days.

The RSPCA said that the goshawk has a small wing injury and is receiving treatment at a specialist centre.

 

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Applications open for MMI research grants

News Story 1
 RCVS' Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) has launched round two of its veterinary mental health research grants.

Researchers have until 11.59pm on Wednesday, 28 May 2025 to apply for a grant for research which reflects MMI's 2025 focus areas.

Only one Impact Grant was awarded last year, and so this year there are two Discovery Grants and one Impact Grants available. Each Discovery Grant is worth £5,000 and the Impact Grant is worth £15,000.

For more information or to apply, email researchgrants@rcvs.org.uk to contact the MMI team.

 

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News Shorts
BBC Radio 4 documentary addresses corporate fees

BBC Radio 4's File on 4 Investigates has released a documentary exploring how corporate-owned veterinary practices may be inflating bills to increase profit.

Released on 15 April, 'What's Happening To Your Vet Bills?' revealed the policies which many corporate groups have in place to increase their profits. This included targets and upgrades which veterinary teams are tasked with meeting on a regular basis.

It also features Anrich Vets, an independently-owned practice based in Wigan. Following the case of Staffordshire terrier Benjy, who is diagnosed with a tumour, the documentary shares how the team were able to offer contextualised care and advice to make the procedure as affordable as possible for his owners.

The documentary can be heard on demand on BBC iPlayer.