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New hydrotherapy centre opens at Battersea
Barney enjoying the new hydrotherapy facility.

The world-famous charity now offers hydrotherapy for dogs of all kinds.

A brand-new hydrotherapy centre has been opened by Battersea at their London site. It will be available for both the dogs at Battersea, and open for bookings from members of the public for their own dogs.

Hydrotherapy can be particularly useful for dogs with orthopaedic conditions, and can help them rehabilitate and manage these conditions, as well as alleviating common pains and ailments that these dogs face. The hydrotherapy and veterinary physiotherapist team at Battersea will support the post-operative rehabilitation and recovery of dogs, and time spent in the hydrotherapy pool will support the dogs' emotional and physical needs via exercise.

Not only is the hydrotherapy centre hugely beneficial for dogs that require rehabilitation, but it can also be beneficial to all kinds of dogs with different circumstances. As such, Battersea is opening up the facility for bookings, and will provide public hydrotherapy sessions which will be tailored to the individual needs of each dog.

These bookable sessions include water familiarising for puppies, puppy swimming courses, fun swims for dogs who do not have specific medical needs, weight management, and veterinary referral cases. The sessions aim to provide both fun and much-needed care.

The canine behaviour and training manager at Battersea, Nathalie Ingham, said: “Battersea has always focused on providing the highest standards of animal care and now we look forward to helping many more dogs with our hydrotherapy facilities. Several dogs in our care have been having regular sessions already and it’s clear to see what a positive impact it’s had on the dogs, not just physically, but mentally too.

“It’s great to be able to open up the facilities to members of the public, and help even more dogs beyond our gates.”

Able to be opened due to the support of Battersea's donors, the hydrotherapy facility includes a 6x3m pool, resistance jets, and an underwater treadmill, all of which are greatly useful for alleviating pain and rehabilitating dogs.

For more information, booking details, and a virtual 360 tour of the facility, visit battersea.org.uk/about-us

Images (c) Battersea Dogs & Cats Home

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Free event for the global unowned cat community

News Story 1
 International Cat Care (ICatCare) has announced a free, virtual event dedicated to caring for unowned cats to explore new ideas and ways of working.

iCatConnect 2025 takes place on Wednesday, 12 November, and is open to everyone working and volunteering with unowned cats. It will include a line-up of 12 international cat welfare experts, who will consider the bigger picture of unowned cats and explore practical, effective, and inclusive solutions.

Following the session, attendees can put their questions to the experts and share their views. They will also hear frontline challenges and real-world case studies shared by contributors working in shelters, TNR, community cat programmes, and veterinary teams from around the world. 

Click here for more...
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Bluetongue reaches Wales for first time in 2025

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has revealed that bluetongue has been confirmed in Wales for the first time in 2025.

In their latest statistics, APHA records a total of 109 cases of BTV-3 or BTV-8 in Great Britain in the 2025-2026 vector season.

The total number of BTV-3 cases in Great Britain this season is 107. This includes 103 cases within the England restricted zone and four cases in Wales.

There has also been two cases of BTV-8, which were both in Cornwall.

As a result of the cases in Wales, a Temporary Control Zone (TCZ) is enforced in Monmouthshire. Animals can move freely under general license within the England Restricted Zone, however animals with suspected bluetongue must stay on their holding.

All premises testing positive for blue tongue can be viewed on this map.