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Crowdfunder launched to help Edinburgh Zoo
RZSS CEO David Field and The Cheeky Panda mascot, Colin.

RZSS and Cheeky Panda team up to offer a host of exciting experiences for animal lovers.

The Royal Zoological of Scotland (RZSS) has launched a crowdfunding appeal to help Edinburgh Zoo recover from the pandemic.

The wildlife conservation charity has teamed up with eco brand Cheeky Panda to deliver a range of experiences and gifts, including virtual tours, animal adoptions, zoo memberships and giraffe feeding.

RZSS chief executive David Field said closing the park had cost the charity more than £2 million. 

“With a food bill of £60,000 a month, every donation, membership, adoption, and experience will help feed our amazing animals and give them the very best of care,” he said.

“Recently we launched a prize draw for a behind the scenes visit to the zoo, which raised more than £70,000, with the winner being announced this week. Now we have opened Edinburgh Zoo again we want to help people get close to nature once more and enjoy incredible experiences and rewards.”

Mystery animal magic moments, virtual team-building tours and the opportunity to sponsor animal enclosures are just some of the other exciting experiences up for grabs.

To mark National Panda Day (16 March), Cheeky Panda has donated £50,000 to the appeal, with all proceeds going towards the cost of feeding the animals.

Cheeky Panda founder Chris Forbes, said: “We are proud to be supporting Edinburgh Zoo because we love big, bamboo-munching, black and white bears, and we both share a passion for conservation. We want to work with this special zoo to raise awareness of the need to protect wildlife worldwide and create a more sustainable planet for future generations.” 

For more information and to support the campaign, visit crowdfunder.co.uk/edinburghzoo

Image (C) RZSS.

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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.

 

Click here for more...
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.