Kennel Club welcome new dangerous dog guidelines but claim they don’t go far enough

The Kennel Club has welcomed new guidelines which come into effect today on sentencing for dangerous dog offences but remains concerned that recent government proposals to update flawed dangerous dog legislation fail to include genuinely preventative measures.

The Sentencing Council’s new guidelines will help to ensure that courts use their full power when dealing with irresponsible owners who allow their dog to be dangerously out of control, as well as extending the guidelines to include injuries to other animals in terms of the offence of allowing a dog to be out of control.

See the Sentencing Council’s new guidelines for dangerous dog offences.

Vets can help educate the public on dangerous dogs and an owner’s responsibility. Take part in the Kennel Club’s Dangerous Dogs campaign.

RCVS is calling for nominations for honorary fellowships and associateships. Any RCVS member who has held membership for at least 20 years can be nominated for an honorary associateship, but only veterinary surgeons can be nominated for an honorary fellowship.

You will need two referees to support the nomination, one of which should work with the person nominated. You can nominate by following the instructions here.

San Francisco could pass a proposal that would ban the sale of all pets in the city. What originally began as a move to prevent animal abuse has rapidly spiralled into a discussion on animal ownership and human intervention. Whilst banning the sale of all pets is an extreme, should animals be treated as a commodity as some would argue they are at the moment? What can be done to regulate the sale of pets and ensure their safety?

Ethically and fundamentally, is it ‘right’ for people to own animals?

Read more…

The National Office of Animal Health (NOAH) has conducted a review of its Code of Practice for the Promotion of Animal Medicine. The core focus of the review has been raising awareness and educating customers on effective drug use, especially in the farming industry. The proposed changes will come into effect from July 1st 2011.

Read more…

While, in many cases, having your clinic join a social network is as simple as opening a free account, there are so many considerations to take in to account before you make the leap. There are countless elements veterinary clinics need to consider, but here are a few “big picture” considerations to help you start [...]

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has moved closer to a final version of a document that will shape the future of veterinary medicine: the Model Veterinary Practice Act (MVPA). The AVMA solicited comments from both veterinarians and the public on the revisions to the MVPA months ago and received over 1,000 comments. After considering [...]

Ten national veterinary associations, including those in the USA, New Zealand and Sweden, have signed up to support the Global Nutritional Guidelines launched by the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) in March 2011 with more expected to endorse them later in the year. The Guidelines form part of the WSAVA’s campaign to ensure that [...]

The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) and the International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM) have released the Feline Friendly Handling Guidelines, which have been endorsed by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). The guidelines were developed by a panel of experts in feline medicine and behavior with the goal of creating a less stressful [...]

In response to the growing need to help place the role of recommending small animal nutrition back into the hands of the experts –the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) has developed global nutrition guidelines. These guidelines are consistent with those produced by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) last year, and are designed to [...]

The American Association of Equine Practitioners has developed guidelines to help veterinarians and adoption groups successfully transition retired racehorses to new homes and new careers. “Transitioning the Retired Racehorse:  Guidelines for Equine Practitioners, Adoption Organizations and Horse Owners” provides an overview of the common physical challenges affecting some former racehorses and helps establish expectations for [...]