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Cats Protection makes official statement on new Prime Minister
Compulsory cat microchipping is a key matter for the charity, which has been highlighted in the new statement.

Charity urges Liz Truss to consider cats.

Following the announcement that Liz Truss will be the UK's new Prime Minister, cat welfare charity Cats Protection has made a statement calling on her new Government to introduce promised regulations.

In the December of 2021, the Government announced that cat microchipping would become compulsory, following a successful campaign from animal welfare organisations, including Cats Protection. 

This is one of the key issues that the charity is pushing for in its statement, asking the new Prime Minister to introduce the necessary legislation and demonstrate the Government's commitment to cat welfare. 

Stefan Blakiston Moore, senior advocacy and digital campaigns officer for Cats Protection, said: “As the UK’s leading cat charity, Cats Protection speaks up for the nation’s 10.8 million pet cats and their owners, and looks forward to working with Liz Truss’s new Government on issues to help cats and their owners.

“Animal welfare is an important issue for a huge number of people in the UK, who want to see it taken seriously by politicians and decision makers. 

With the announcement that Liz Truss is to become the new Prime Minister, Cats Protection is keen to ensure the UK continues to work towards becoming a world leader in this area. 

“In particular, we would like to see that new regulations to introduce compulsory microchipping of pet cats are finally introduced as previously promised. This was a Conservative Party manifesto commitment in 2019 and was due to be introduced during 2022.

“Cats Protection would also like the Government to push ahead with the Kept Animals Bill as soon as possible and amend it to ensure that cats are being given the same protections that are being proposed for dogs when it comes to pet theft and pet smuggling.”

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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.