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Details revealed ahead of National Pet Month 2023
"We want pet owners to know there is help available" – Nicole Paley.
April campaign to focus on responsible care on a budget.

The theme for this year's National Pet Month (NPM) campaign is supporting pet owners feeling the pinch, as the cost of living crisis continues.

Taking place from 1 April to 1 May, the campaign will provide practical support for pet owners and carers, sharing tips on how to meet animals' welfare needs, while being responsibly in budget.

Over the course of the month, NPM will broadcast live sessions for pet owners and carers, covering topics such as pet nutrition, the importance of regular health checks, vaccinations, dental health and cleaning up after pets, led by pet and veterinary professionals.

Nicole Paley, from NPM, commented: “Post pandemic, it's a challenging time for many caring for animals, so it's important that now, more than ever, National Pet Month offers good, practical support and advice pet owners.”

Other topics that will be considered over NPM include puppy and kitten training, creating a dog friendly office, looking out for changes in pet behaviour, the benefits of taking on an older rescue animal and being a sustainable pet owner, with much more in the works. 

Nicole continued: “Although we recognise a pet is part of our family, some owners have had to make the hardest of decisions to give up a pet for adoption with many pets finding themselves back at rescue or suffering from separation issues as people have gone back to the office.

“With this in mind, we want pet owners to know there is help available and encourage them to seek support from pet organisations before taking this difficult step.

“Sometimes just one conversation with a vet or pet professional can make a positive difference for you and your animal companion. There's a lot of advice out there; no-one needs to feel on their own.

“By joining National Pet Month 2023 we can all work together to care for our pets responsibly.”

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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.