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BVNA launches Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month 2025
BVNA president Lyndsay Hughes has launched VNAM 2025.

The organisation is celebrating its diamond anniversary.
 
Ahead of Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month (VNAM) in May, organisers BVNA are calling on the profession to champion veterinary nurses and raise public awareness of their important role.

As BVNA marks its 60th anniversary year, the theme of this year’s campaign will be ‘progression’, with a focus on how the veterinary nursing profession has developed and its ambitions for future growth.

During the celebrations, BVNA’s popular VNAM competition will return with a special theme to mark the organisation’s diamond anniversary. Veterinary nursing teams, individual RVNs or whole practice teams are invited to share why they are considered “the diamond in your practice”.

The competition is also open to nominations from from friends, family, pet owners and caregivers, with two winner and two runner-up prizes of either a £100 or £50 Love2Shop voucher up for grabs.

BVNA president, Lyndsay Hughes said: ‘“I am delighted to launch VNAM for another year, and even more so as we mark BVNA’s diamond 60th anniversary since the association was founded. The progression of veterinary nursing as a profession has very much been shaped by trailblazers in BVNA’s history; those who have not been afraid to stand up for fellow veterinary nurses in order to influence positive change.

“Whilst VNAM recognises and celebrates the veterinary nursing profession of today, we’re also celebrating and thanking those individuals who worked tirelessly to get us here. BVNA fundamentally believes that, as a skilled, professional and caring workforce, veterinary nurses fully deserve to be championed and for their role to be better understood by the public. 

“This is especially important as BVNA is continuing to push towards much needed legislative change; for protection of our title, proper utilisation of our training and skillsets, and an even greater contribution to animal welfare. 

She continued: “We’re urging everyone across the veterinary profession, in clinical or non-clinical settings, to support the campaign and highlight just how important veterinary nurses are – to animal welfare, to your team, and to your business.”

“VNAM provides us all with the opportunity to stand up and be proud of our profession – and for veterinary colleagues working alongside SVNs and RVNs to recognise our contributions too. We look forward to celebrating VNAM once again this year and seeing all the creative ways that veterinary teams are educating the public about our incredible profession. 

“I hope this year’s VNAM gives veterinary nurses everywhere the same boost of energy and inspiration that it always does for me.”

More information about VNAM 2025 and details of this year's competition can be found at bvna.org.uk

Image (C) BVNA.

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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.