The code linked to a form that was accessible to anyone, even those outside of the group, meaning that more people would have access to ongoing welfare support. This has led to more than 100 unique enquiries to the team, who have been able to provide ongoing support and guidance.

This year, that particular focus will continue in the form of two animal welfare lectures, presented by David Martin, Group Veterinary Welfare Advisor and Richard Sinclair, Welfare Lead and Clinical Director at Lamond Vets.

The lectures will cover both the criminal underworld, which will peel back the curtain of organised crime in relation to everyday welfare, and how to deal with welfare catastrophes in-practice, giving vet professionals the tools they need to deal with the most serious cases.

Both lectures will take place on the first day of London Vet Show and will involve both David and Richard sharing relevant insights into these topics, allowing attendees to find out more about the welfare side of veterinary by drawing on real-life cases and scenarios that, in many instances, led to successful prosecutions.

The criminal underworld and animal welfare

Our first lecture will delve into the dark underbelly of welfare, detailing the impact of organised crime and how many of the most serious cases seen in practices across the UK can be attributed to it in one way or another. The full summary of the lecture is as follows:

In this session we will peel back the shroud of secrecy and reveal the true involvement of serious organised crime in everyday animal welfare. From ear cropping and co-ownership to fertility clinics and unlicensed breeders.

We will reveal the presence and influence of organised crime groups in animal welfare and the interactions that we are all unwittingly having with them on a regular basis.

We will look at practical steps that the profession can take to help educate, inform and disrupt the activities of these organised criminal groups.

Finally, we will look at the work being done by enforcement agencies from the RSPCA right through to the National Crime Agency to stamp out organised animal abuse.

David commented on the lecture ahead of London Vet Show in November:
“This lecture will reveal to the profession the scale at which organised crime has infiltrated our world and the influence that is having on both our clients and their pets but also us as well professionally.
“Whether that is from having to deal with newly purchased puppies that are extremely ill through to the dramatic rise in large breed aggressive dogs, we will demonstrate some of the underlying issues and, more importantly, what the profession can do to assist in stamping out the destructive influence of organised crime in our everyday practice.”

Welfare catastrophes: what do you do?

Some of the most serious cases that vet professionals will see in their working lives will stay with them for the rest of their careers, depending on the circumstances surrounding the case and of course, the outcome.

Like any emergency, it’s important to be prepared and not allow a serious case to turn into a catastrophe, and our second welfare lecture references case studies to demonstrate how to deal with them. The summary is as follows:  

Anyone working in clinical practice will on occasion be faced with a serious welfare case. In this lecture we will explore the simple practical steps that can be taken to prevent a welfare challenge escalating to a welfare catastrophe.

Through case studies we will explore common areas of concern to practice teams when dealing with welfare cases including client confidentiality, GDPR and how to support vulnerable clients in crisis.

We will also explore how techniques borrowed from cutting edge forensic science when combined with high quality veterinary medicine can be used by us all to bring the worst animal abusers to justice.

Richard Sinclair referenced the upcoming lecture ahead of the event:
"Welfare casework can be challenging, stressful and time-sensitive, but they can also be among the most rewarding experiences of a veterinary career.
“In this interactive lecture, using case examples, we will outline challenges commonly encountered, and provide the audience with the toolkit to navigate cases and secure successful prosecutions."

‘The criminal underworld and animal welfare’ takes place at 2.40pm while ‘Welfare catastrophes, what do you do?’ is just afterwards at 4.00pm. Both lectures take place on day one of the event in the IVC Evidensia lecture theatre.

Start planning your visit today by downloading the LVS app – just search for ‘The London Vet Show’ on the Apple App Store or Google Play store and choosing the sessions you will be attending, including ones from our very own schedule.  

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAMME

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT IVC EVIDENSIA