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RNLI lifeguard rescues budgie on a beach
Blue the budgie with the RNLI lifeguards.

The bird had travelled almost nine miles away from home.

An adventurous budgie who took a four-day trip away from home has been reunited with his owner, thanks to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

Blue went missing from his home in Wales but days later, he was found on Aberavon beach – almost nine miles away - by a group of schoolchildren.

RNLI lifeguard supervisor Sophie Phillips was called out to the unusual rescue and cared for the bird while her team tried to locate the owner.

After appealing to local vets, it was a Facebook post by the lifeguards that eventually caught the attention of Blue's owner, and the pair were finally reunited.

After the rescue, Sophie said: “The last thing I expected to see was a budgie on the beach, and we were so glad we were able to help reunite the bird with its owner’.

Grateful for the efforts of Sophie and the lifeguards, Blue's owner made a charitable donation to the RNLI.

Image (C) RNLI.

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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.