Articles
To stop zoonotic diseases, we need to make One Health a reality. Tackling rabies is a good place to start. Professor Cleaveland and Lord Trees discuss how this can work.
Fact Files & Briefings
Non stun slaughter FactFile
The EU and UK require all livestock at abattoirs to be stunned (rendered unconscious and insensible to pain) before slaughter. Non-stun slaughter is banned in several countries but in the UK it is permitted for religious slaughter for the food of Jews and Muslims only. The number of sheep and goats slaughtered without stunning has doubled in the last 7 years.
Brachycephaly and Breed Conformation-Related Disease FactFile
The conformation of an animal – meaning their overall structure and appearance, is hugely varied between breeds. Certain conformations are increasingly popular because of their appearance but within some breeds these exaggerated conformational characteristics and the associated genetic variants are causing increasing health problems. In 2018, The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018, a statutory instrument to the Animal Welfare Act 2006, was passed to protect the welfare and health of breeding bitches and their of offspring.
Animal Sentience and the Animal Welfare Act 2018 briefing
The loss of the EU Lisbon Treaty (2007) Article 13 with Brexit caused widespread concern in summer 2018. The Treaty requires Member states, in developing policies, to pay regard to animal welfare since animals are sentient beings. That obligation complements and goes beyond the UK Animal Welfare Act (2006) which puts a responsibility on the ‘keeper’ of animals.
Antibiotic Usage and Resistance FactFile
This document draws on publicly available data to provide an unbiased factual overview of antibiotic usage data in the UK in both animals and humans.
Resistance data for E. coli, Campylobacter spp. and Salmonella spp. are also presented for both animals and humans.
Finally, the document brings together information on current activities being undertaken by the UK Government, human and veterinary healthcare professions and the animal industries to encourage responsible usage of antibiotics and combat the negative impacts of antibiotic resistance on human and animal health.
Brexit Veterinary Impacts FactFile
Since the referendum decision on 23rd June 2016 we have been actively compiling briefing materials relating to the challenges and opportunities presented leaving the EU. On our Brexit page we have listed are a collection of documents which we consider to be helpful resources for veterinarians, parliamentarians and the media in assessing the impact of Brexit on veterinarians and on matters concerning animal health and welfare.
Higher Education and Research Act 2017 briefing
VPRF Annual Report
Each year we publish an annual report on the activities of Lord Trees and the VPRF. It also provides a useful summary of some of the most dominant political issues in the Veterinary sector.
Annual Report 2018-2020 – Published November 2020
Annual Report 2017-18 – Published April 2019
Annual Report 2016-17 – Published February 2018
Annual Report 2015-16 – Published February 2017
Annual Report 2014-15 – Published January 2016
Annual Report 2013-14 – Published January 2015
Other Publications
Disillusionment among young vets: causes and potential solutions – Ridge, A. Veterinary Record News
Chaters, G, Trees, A and Laing, G, July 2020
Veterinary Policy Research Foundation 
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