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Labrador blessed by Pope Francis
Image: Asià - Rossella Lorenzi
Dog among the first to be blessed by new pope

Pope Francis departed from tradition on Saturday when he blessed a yellow Labrador Retriever named Asià.

Radio journalist Alessandro Forlani, and his guide dog Asià, waited to enter the Vatican's Paul VI audience hall on Saturday, as journalists from all over the world gathered to report on the election of Pope Francis.

"As I waited in line to enter the hall, the security guards told me that most likely I wouldn't be allowed to get in with the dog," said Forlani, who works for Italian RAI radio.

However, after a few minutes, Forlani and Asià were given the green light by Vatican officials, and escorted to the audience hall by a Swiss guard.

Following the pope's speech to those gathered in the hall, Vatican officials informed Forlani that Pope Francis had asked to meet him and Asià.

Asià reportedly sat quietly onstage as her owner spoke to the pope. After blessing Forlani's wife and daughter, Pope Francis bent down to caress the dog, saying: "and a special blessing for your dog too."

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FIVP announces third series of Practice Matters

News Story 1
 The Federation of Independent Veterinary Practices (FIVP) has announced a third season of its podcast, Practice Matters.

Hosted by Ian Wolstenholme, series three will focus on the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) investigation, including a discussion about some of the expected impacts on independent veterinary colleagues.

Episode one launches on 13th January with guests Drs David Reader and Scott Summers, who will draw on their research into the CMA investigation and provide insights into themes such as transparency, pricing and consumer trust.

Ian Wolstenholme said: "In its third series, we will try and hone in on what the changes will mean in reality for independent practices with advice and guidance on implementation and delivery, drawing on the experience of our own team and other experts in the profession. Hope you can join us soon!" 

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News Shorts
Survey seeks ruminant sector views on antimicrobial stewardship

A new survey is seeking views of people working in the UK ruminant sector on how to tackle the challenge of demonstrating responsible antibiotic stewardship.

Forming part of a wider, collaborative initiative, the results will help identify the types of data available so that challenges with data collection can be better understood and addressed.

Anyone working in the UK farming sector, including vets and farmers,is encouraged to complete the survey, which is available at app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk