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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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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
Applications open for BEVA Back in the Saddle

The British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) has opened applications for its 'Back in the Saddle' coaching programme.

The online scheme offers structured group coaching for members wanting to reflect on their career path and regain clarity. Members may be returning to work after leave, uncertain about next steps or reassessing direction.

Attendees will benefit from impartial guidance and practical tools to support their professional development. Members are encouraged to take a 'proactive, future-focused approach' to their careers.

The sessions, taking place on Wednesdays from 7.30pm-9pm, are open to BEVA members with more than five years' experience. The first session takes place on Wednesday, 3 June 2026.

Applications will close on Wednesday, 27 May 2026.