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Ethel returned after six days on the run
Ethel (not pictured) was sighted in various locations across Doncaster.
Emu managed to evade capture from Police and RSPCA officers. 

An emu from Doncaster that had been on the run for almost a week has returned home.

The six-foot-bird, named Ethel, escaped from her enclosure last Thursday (6 August). Owner Kerry Dobson launched a new appeal for help on Tuesday (11 August), but Ethel has since returned.

Announcing Ethel's safe return on Facebook, Victoria Robinson-Hewitt said: “She’s home! Thank you all for sharing ... group effort this”.

According to the Doncaster Free Press, Ethel ran away after getting spooked by people taking her photograph. Police and RSPCA officers followed up several sighting in the Doncaster region, but she managed to evade their capture.

Native to Australia, emus are the second-largest birds in the world. They naturally range over large areas, foraging on insects, fruits and seeds.

Ethel is reported to have spent her few days of freedom roaming Sprotbrough, Newlands Park and the Trans Pennine Trail.

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Strangles survey seeks views of horse owners

News Story 1
 With Strangles Awareness Week just around the corner (5-11 May), vets are being encouraged to share a survey about the disease with their horse-owning clients.

The survey, which has been designed by Dechra, aims to raise awareness of Strangles and promote best practices to prevent its transmission. It includes questions about horse owners' experiences of strangles, together with preventative measures and vaccination.

Respondents to the survey will be entered into a prize draw to win two VIP tickets to Your Horse Live 2025. To access the survey, click here 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
DAERA to reduce BVD 'grace period'

DAERA has reminded herd keepers of an upcoming reduction to the 'grace period' to avoid BVD herd restrictions.

From 1 May 2025, herd keepers will have seven days to cull any BVD positive or inconclusive animals to avoid restrictions being applied to their herd.

It follows legislation introduced on 1 February, as DAERA introduces herd movement restrictions through a phased approach. Herd keepers originally had 28 days to cull BVD positive or inconclusive animals.

DAERA says that, providing herd keepers use the seven-day grace period, no herds should be restricted within the first year of these measures.

Additional measures, which will target herds with animals over 30 days old that haven't been tested for BVD, will be introduced from 1 June 2025.

More information is available on the DAERA website.