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Draught excluder mistaken for snake
Image - www.eveningexpress.co.uk
SSPCA called out over lookalike

The Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) dispatched an Animal Rescue Officer after receiving a call from a member of the public who was in some distress after coming across what she believed to be a 5ft snake in the loft of her rented home in Kingswells near Aberdeen. Upon closer investigation, Animal Rescue Officer Karen Hogg (pictured) rapidly determined that the large black and green snake was in fact a novelty draught excluder with the shape and pattern of a large snake, complete with a tongue made from red felt.

"We've rescued hundreds of snakes from properties in all sorts of unusual circumstances, so we had no reason to believe this might not be the real thing,” said Officer Hogg, who added that "This call-out really made us smile and given that we deal with cruelty and neglect day in day out, it was refreshing to go to a job where the 'animal' was completely unharmed."

The draught excluder, perhaps inevitably dubbed 'Sid', is now in the care of the SSPCA's Aberdeen Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centre. 

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Applications open for MMI research grants

News Story 1
 RCVS' Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) has launched round two of its veterinary mental health research grants.

Researchers have until 11.59pm on Wednesday, 28 May 2025 to apply for a grant for research which reflects MMI's 2025 focus areas.

Only one Impact Grant was awarded last year, and so this year there are two Discovery Grants and one Impact Grants available. Each Discovery Grant is worth £5,000 and the Impact Grant is worth £15,000.

For more information or to apply, email researchgrants@rcvs.org.uk to contact the MMI team.

 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
BBC Radio 4 documentary addresses corporate fees

BBC Radio 4's File on 4 Investigates has released a documentary exploring how corporate-owned veterinary practices may be inflating bills to increase profit.

Released on 15 April, 'What's Happening To Your Vet Bills?' revealed the policies which many corporate groups have in place to increase their profits. This included targets and upgrades which veterinary teams are tasked with meeting on a regular basis.

It also features Anrich Vets, an independently-owned practice based in Wigan. Following the case of Staffordshire terrier Benjy, who is diagnosed with a tumour, the documentary shares how the team were able to offer contextualised care and advice to make the procedure as affordable as possible for his owners.

The documentary can be heard on demand on BBC iPlayer.