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Missing cat found at animal rescue conference
The owners feared they would never see their cat again.
Attendees used microchip to track down owner.

A missing cat has been found after wandering into the Association of Dog and Cat Homes conference and plonking himself down on an attendee from Cats Protection.

Beni Benstead, manager of Cats Protection’s Tyneside Adoption Centre, was sat down during a break in proceedings when the black and white cat decided to sit on her lap.

Staff at the Telford International Centre informed Beni and the other attendees that the cat had been seen around the venue for some time. Sallie Conroy, rehoming supervisor at Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary in Bury, fetched a microchip scanner to see if they could find out who the cat belonged to.

Fortunately, the cat was microchipped and they managed to get in touch with the owner.

The cat’s owner, Sian Tawn, was very glad to hear that her cat had been found. Sammy had gone missing earlier in the year when his owners were moving house. Their previous home had been just a seven-minute drive from the conference centre.

Already on her way to work, Sian popped by to pick up her much-missed cat and bring him home. Despite hoping for the best, she hadn’t expected to see him again.

Sian said: “It was amazing to get the call to say he had been found and was alive. I immediately brought him home and after a quick explore of his new home, and seeing the cats he was brought up with, he went upstairs to be with my husband and just slept non-stop.”

Speaking after the reunion, Beni said: “It was a team effort to get this lovely cat back to his owner. It really was a stroke of luck for him to wander up to a group of cat lovers who immediately sprung into action to try and get him back home. Sian was so excited to see Sammy, and we look forward to hearing how he settles back in with his family.”

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Webinar to explore AMR in vet dentistry

News Story 1
 The WSAVA has invited veterinary professionals to a webinar on responsible antibiotic usage in dentistry.

On 19 November 2025, at 1am, Dr J Scott Weese and Dr Brooke Niemiec will share the latest advice for antimicrobial use. They will present research on oral bacterology, and explain how attendees can choose appropriate antibiotics.

The session will cover pre-, intra- and post-operative guidelines, with recommendations for various pathologies.

The webinar is designed to support veterinary professionals to make informed decisions and tackle antimicrobial resistance.

Attendees can register here

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Bluetongue reaches Wales for first time in 2025

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has revealed that bluetongue has been confirmed in Wales for the first time in 2025.

In their latest statistics, APHA records a total of 109 cases of BTV-3 or BTV-8 in Great Britain in the 2025-2026 vector season.

The total number of BTV-3 cases in Great Britain this season is 107. This includes 103 cases within the England restricted zone and four cases in Wales.

There has also been two cases of BTV-8, which were both in Cornwall.

As a result of the cases in Wales, a Temporary Control Zone (TCZ) is enforced in Monmouthshire. Animals can move freely under general license within the England Restricted Zone, however animals with suspected bluetongue must stay on their holding.

All premises testing positive for blue tongue can be viewed on this map.