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Hero Flo – the incredible multitasking dog!
A guide and hearing dog and also the street's burglar detector too!
Flo, a Labraor cross golden retriever, is a very special dog with two official jobs – she has been trained to act as both a guide dog and a hearing dog for Kate Fenwick, who is both deaf and blind. Now it seems that she also has third unofficial role too…

In addition to making people aware of Kate’s dual sensory loss, Flo’s hearing dog training has given her a very important role in the community. Kate explains: “We have had a spate of burglaries in our area recently.  On the evening of the first one, Flo alerted me in the middle of the night, but I thought she just wanted to go out.  However, I found out the next day that there had been a burglary two streets away and the police had caught the person hiding in my shed.  

“A few days after that, Flo alerted me twice in the night – once at midnight and then at 4.45am. Again the police told me that a house close to me was broken into at midnight, and the police had attended at 4.45am! So Flo was spot on.  Now the police have asked me to dial 999 if Flo alerts me in the night, and have told me that having Flo has made me much safer than the other residents in the street.”

Kate feels very lucky to have her canine partner: “Flo has made an enormous difference to my life.  I feel so much more confident both in the house and outdoors.  She helps me not only by guiding me and alerting me to sounds, but also by changing the way people at large respond to me.”

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Voting opens for BEVA Council

News Story 1
 Eligible members of BEVA will be able to vote for their Council team until Monday, 17 August 2026. Members will have received an election email on 17 July.

There are five candidates standing for four available places on Council. They are:

  • Alexandre Triguino
  • Angela Jones
  • Beth Bryant
  • Holly Rees
  • Hugh Somerville
Full profiles for each candidate can be found on the BEVA website

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Government releases latest bluetongue statistics

APHA has confirmed the number of bluetongue cases that have been logged in the UK since 1 July 2026.

The total number of BTV-3 cases, as of 6 August, is 187. This includes 183 cases in England and four cases in Wales.

There have been no recorded cases in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The location of premises in Great Britain where at least one animal has tested positive by PCR for BTV-3, BTV-8 or BTV-12 is available on the bluetongue case map. All livestock keepers in Great Britain are urged to familiarise themselves with nation-specific bluetongue control policies.

Bluetongue virus is a notifiable disease. It is a legal requirement that any suspicions, even if livestock has been vaccinated, are reported immediately.