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Defra suspends commercial pet imports from Ukraine
Defra has temporarily suspended all commercial pet imports from Ukraine and its neighbouring countries.

The department is prioritising refugees fleeing the country with their own pets.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has temporarily suspended all commercial pet imports from Ukraine and its neighbouring countries.

In its latest update, the department said that commercial imports of dogs, cats and ferrets from Ukraine, Belarus, Poland and Romania had been temporarily suspended for one month 'to prioritise those fleeing Ukraine with their own pets'. 

The decision comes in part due to the limited number of quarantine facilities in the UK and concerns over the threat to the UK’s high animal health and disease status.

In March, the UK's chief veterinary officer Christine Middlemiss urged rehoming organisations to ensure rescue animals have the necessary paperwork after a shipment of rescue animals was found to have travelled on falsified rabies documentation.

The update from Defra and the APHA states: “We have concerns around the commercial movement of animals, between or from Ukraine and neighbouring countries and the health risk that presents. 

"The movement of large numbers of rescue animals who are entering Great Britain from high-risk rabies countries, without the correct health preparations, presents serious risks to biosecurity and public health. There has also been a number of serious instances of non-compliant imports, including those under falsified paperwork.”

Commercial animals are defined by the government as those destined be rehomed or sold to owners in Great Britain.

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Webinar to explore AMR in vet dentistry

News Story 1
 The WSAVA has invited veterinary professionals to a webinar on responsible antibiotic usage in dentistry.

On 19 November 2025, at 1am, Dr J Scott Weese and Dr Brooke Niemiec will share the latest advice for antimicrobial use. They will present research on oral bacterology, and explain how attendees can choose appropriate antibiotics.

The session will cover pre-, intra- and post-operative guidelines, with recommendations for various pathologies.

The webinar is designed to support veterinary professionals to make informed decisions and tackle antimicrobial resistance.

Attendees can register here

Click here for more...
News Shorts
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.