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New feline blood service announced
"We know how much a dedicated feline service is needed, having heard that message from veterinary colleagues over many years" -Wendy Barnett, Pet Blood Bank UK.

The change has ‘been a long time in the making’.

Pet Blood Bank UK has announced it will soon be launching a feline blood service.

The news follows authorisation from the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD), marking a significant new chapter in veterinary transfusion medicine for cats across the country. It also comes after many years of behind-the-scenes development work by the charity.

Until now, access to feline blood products has been a significant challenge due to the lack of a dedicated service. This new service promises to bridge the gap, providing vets with a reliable, welfare-focused source of feline blood products, just as the charity does for dogs.

Wendy Barnett, veterinary nurse and clinical director at Pet Blood Bank UK, will spearhead the development of the service.

Wendy said: “We know how much a dedicated feline service is needed, having heard that message clearly from veterinary colleagues over many years. We are absolutely delighted that we can now say it’s happening.

“This has been a long time in the making, and we’re incredibly proud to be taking this next step to support cats, their owners, and the veterinary teams who take care of them.”

Further details about the service will be announced in due course. Meanwhile, the charity would like to hear from anyone interested in registering their cats as donors.

To qualify as a blood donor, cats must be fit and healthy, between one and eight years old, have a good temperament, and weigh over 4.5kg.

Image (C) evrymmnt/Shutterstock.com

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Voting opens for BEVA Council

News Story 1
 Eligible members of BEVA will be able to vote for their Council team until Monday, 17 August 2026. Members will have received an election email on 17 July.

There are five candidates standing for four available places on Council. They are:

  • Alexandre Triguino
  • Angela Jones
  • Beth Bryant
  • Holly Rees
  • Hugh Somerville
Full profiles for each candidate can be found on the BEVA website

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Government releases latest bluetongue statistics

APHA has confirmed the number of bluetongue cases that have been logged in the UK since 1 July 2026.

The total number of BTV-3 cases, as of 6 August, is 187. This includes 183 cases in England and four cases in Wales.

There have been no recorded cases in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The location of premises in Great Britain where at least one animal has tested positive by PCR for BTV-3, BTV-8 or BTV-12 is available on the bluetongue case map. All livestock keepers in Great Britain are urged to familiarise themselves with nation-specific bluetongue control policies.

Bluetongue virus is a notifiable disease. It is a legal requirement that any suspicions, even if livestock has been vaccinated, are reported immediately.