A veterinary nurse from Colwyn Bay has been removed from the Register by the RCVS Veterinary Nursing Disciplinary Committee after she was convicted of burglary involving the theft of veterinary drugs from her practice.

The nurse wrote to the College prior to the hearing to say that she would not be attending and she was not represented.

The College asked the Committee to proceed with the hearing, which it agreed to do.

The charge against her was that in 2025 she had been convicted, following a guilty plea, of burglary, contrary to section 9(1)(b) of the Theft Act 1968.

She was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months and to an order to carry out unpaid work for 140 hours within the next 12 months; and to pay compensation of £761.20; and made subject to a restraining order.

The particulars of the offence, to which the nurse originally pleaded not guilty before changing her plea to guilty, were that in 2024, she had entered the practice premises as a trespasser and stole veterinary medication of an unknown value, including ketamine.

The Committee found the charge proved on the basis of her admission to the College that she entered a guilty plea at court.

The Committee noted that although she admitted entering a guilty plea, she had continued to deny taking ketamine, but the Committee accepted the court’s version of events and saw no need to investigate further.

Other drugs taken, as listed in the police summary, included methadone, fentanyl patches, buprenorphine, and medetomidine.

In determining the nurse's fitness to practise, the Committee considered the submissions of the College and noted that the defendant didn’t dispute the nature and circumstances of the offence leading to her conviction beyond claiming that she never took ketamine.

It also found that she breached parts 1.5 and 6.5 of the Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Nurses relating to the responsible administering of medicines and the fact that veterinary nurses must not engage in any activities that would likely bring the profession into disrepute.

It also took into account the following aggravating factors:

• committing a criminal offence that involves dishonesty;
• committing a criminal offence directly linked to her professional role;
• a serious abuse of trust placed in her by virtue of her professional position as a Registered Veterinary Nurse;
• allowing suspicion to fall on a junior member of the practice team;
• premeditated conduct involving an element of planning and deception - she entered the premises using a fob she had been given as an employee and, as part of the offence, she accessed the practice computer to order medication she wished to steal;
• an abuse of her professional position;
• the burglaries were repeated over a period of time on many occasions;
• potential impact on the welfare of animals brought to the practice if necessary medication were unavailable due to having been taken by the nurse;
• financial gain, in that she obtained a significant quantity of medication without having to pay for it.

It was found that her conduct fell far below the standard expected of a registered veterinary nurse and that her conviction was serious enough to render her unfit to practise.

In deciding upon a sanction, the Committee took into account all written evidence before it.

In addition to the aggravating factors, it also considered the nurse's "complete lack of insight", her lack of apology or remorse, her denials and the fact there was no evidence of remediation.

The only mitigating factor was that the nurse had no previous adverse disciplinary findings against her.

Paul Morris, chairing the committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The Committee was of the view that the nature and seriousness of [the veterinary nurse]'s behaviour, which led to the conviction, was fundamentally incompatible with being registered as a veterinary nurse.

"The conduct represented a serious departure from professional standards, in that this was a serious offence of dishonesty.

"[The veterinary nurse] has not demonstrated any remorse for her behaviour and instead has sought to blame others; she has demonstrated a complete lack of insight, especially in regard to the impact of her behaviour on public confidence and trust in the profession.

"In light of these conclusions, the Committee decided that the only appropriate and proportionate sanction in this case was removal from the Register."

“The Committee determined that it was important that a clear message be sent that this sort of behaviour is wholly inappropriate and not to be tolerated.

"It brought discredit upon [the veterinary nurse] and discredit upon the profession.”

Four out of ten UK dogs will over-indulge this Christmas, according to a survey from Wholesome Nutrition Ltd, manufacturer of Britain's first weight-loss dog food, Formula K (http://www.formulak.co.uk/). As a result, a staggering 29% of the nation's dogs will be on a diet by the New Year.

Over one in four canines will munch mince pies this Christmas, while 17% will wolf down Brussels sprouts. The survey also suggests that 62% of dogs prefer sausages and 75% tuck into turkey. One in five dogs is partial to Christmas pudding and the same number love Christmas cake.

As a result of all this food, 43% of hounds will over-eat at Christmas, which is almost as bad as their owners - 57% of whom will over-indulge. At the end of the feasting festival, one-third of owners will go on a diet, where they will be joined by 29% of the country's dogs.

Kit Sadgrove, founder of Formula K, says: "People are treating their dogs as part of the family. As far as Christmas over-indulgence is concerned, this survey shows you can hardly tell man and his best friend apart!"

Dogs love garlic bread, chips with gravy and Yorkshire puddings. Their favourite Christmas foods include cat biscuits, roast potatoes, ice cream and Chewits.

There are no real differences among the regions. Scots and Welsh indulge their dogs just as much as people in the South. However, the message that chocolate is dangerous to dogs is getting through: only one person in a hundred says they would give it to their dog.

When it comes to Christmas Eve, three quarters of all dogs will receive a small Christmas stocking, and a whopping 88% will have Christmas presents. A mere 6% of owners sternly say they won't let their dogs have human treats.

"We're reminding dog owners not to over-indulge their four legged friend at Christmas," says Kit Sadgrove. "On our website at http://www.formulak.co.uk/ you'll find tips on preventing dogs from over-eating at this time of year. And when owners come to make New Year resolutions, ‘put the dog on a diet' may be a good idea."

Petplan has announced the three finalists for the 'Petplan Insurance Advisor Award', which recognises the hard work and dedication that Petplan Insurance Advisors do to highlight the importance of insurance to pet owners.

Three veterinary professionals have been short-listed as finalists:

Wendy Wears, Vet Nurse at Moor Cottage Veterinary Hospital in Berkshire
This is the second year in a row that Wendy has been named as a finalist for the PIA Award which can be attributed to her commitment to the Petplan Insurance Advisor programme. She was the first person in her practice to complete the programme and constantly organises for other staff to join. Her colleagues have nicknamed Wendy 'The Insurance Guru' as she is always on hand for any client questions.

Kelli Vogt, Polsloe Veterinary Clinic in Devon
Kelli is always available to assist both staff and clients, and patiently explains the different types of insurance policies available. Her colleagues have commented that Kelli is dedicated to the role and they couldn't find a better advocate for the Petplan Insurance Adviser programme or better person to provide advice to customers.

Vickie Sadler, Orwell Veterinary Group in Ipswich, Suffolk
Vickie is a great ambassador of the Petplan Insurance Advisor scheme and always encourages other staff members to be a part of it as well. She keeps everyone in her clinic up-to-date with any policy changes and has even prepared a presentation for clients to attend which provide best care tips and information about pet insurance.

The finalists were judged by President of BVNA Donna Lewis, Petplan Business Developers Lisa Allen and Spencer Jones, and Head of Business Development at Petplan Howard Brown.   

Howard said: "At Petplan we work closely with vet practices to educate them about pet insurance so that they are able to give their customers informed and up-to-date advice. It is great to see the dedication and competence that each finalist has applied to providing their customers with this service."

The winner will be announced at the annual BVNA Congress on 9^th October.

Braving the elements, a record 12 candidates sat the examinations for the Certificate in Veterinary Practice Management last week, seven of which passed their selected elements, and four of which have been awarded their certificate.

The new CVPMs are, Julie Beacham at Wendover Heights Veterinary Centre in Aylesbury, Liz Howes at The Oxford Cat Clinic in Oxford, Helen Kington from Hungerford and Renay Rickard at the Pelyn Veterinary Group in Lostwithiel. An official presentation of the awards will take place at the Veterinary Practice Management Association Congress Dinner on 28^th January 2010 at the Chesford Grange Hotel, Kenilworth, Warwickshire.

The candidates are managers in very different types of veterinary businesses, which the VPMA says is confirmation that the CVPM is applicable and has wide appeal in veterinary management. 

Lucy Bartlett of CVS (UK) Ltd, Straight Mile Equine Clinic, Lisa Marter of The Arundel Equine Hospital and Steven Broomfield of The Blue Cross, were also successful in achieving a pass in the written and oral sections of the examination and will be able to complete the CVPM by submitting and passing the portfolio section of the exam next year.

There are now 61 holders of the CVPM since its inception in 1996.  The next examination session will be held on 2^nd December 2011.

The European Commission has published an amendment to Regulation concerning the transitional period under which the UK keeps it's requirements for blood testing, a six month wating period, tick and tapeworm treatment.

The amendment extends the transition period to the 30th June 2010, which means that the current rules applying to pets entering the UK will remain in place until 1st July 2010.

46% of veterinary surgeons working in the UK decided to become a vet while they were still at primary school, according to new figures released the British Veterinary Association (BVA) to celebrate World Veterinary Day this Saturday. 

The most recent BVA Voice of the Veterinary Profession survey revealed younger vets were more likely to decide on a veterinary career at a young age, with 53% of those under 35 settling on veterinary medicine by the age of 10. However, more than a quarter of vets (28%) said they had decided to become a vet as young as eight years of age.

76% of the vets surveyed said that their choice was driven by an interest in caring for animals.

51% said they were motivated by an interest in science, with a primary focus on clinical practice.

32% mentioned the variety of work that a veterinary career would provide as an influencing factor – with the majority (58%) reflecting that their career choice had met this expectation, rating their job variety/interest as excellent or very good.

British Veterinary Association President Gudrun Ravetz said: "It’s lovely to hear that so many of my fellow vets made the decision as early as I did. Veterinary medicine is a long-standing ambition and a cherished vocation for many vets as well as a challenging and rewarding career.

"I had definitely decided that I wanted to become a vet by the time I was seven. That’s what I would always say I wanted to be when asked by adults. Like most of the vets surveyed I was influenced by loving and caring for the pets in my home. The only vets I knew were those we visited with the dog but I can’t ever remember wanting to be anything else."

Two veterinary nurses are looking forward to expanding their career horizons thanks to a bursary from Pfizer Animal Health.

Donna Buzzeo RVN and Serena Fox (who holds an Australian certificate in Veterinary Nursing) were judged to be the strongest candidates because of the commitment they had already shown to developing their skills in dentistry. The bursary, worth £1500 each will allow both nurses to enrol for the BVNA Certificate in Dentistry course and covers course and examinations fees as well as a substantial contribution towards travel or accommodation during the residentially based parts of the course.  

Donna Buzzeo works at Mulberry Court Vets in Sudbury with vet Gerhard Putter who is studying towards a diploma with the European College of Veterinary Dentistry. Since the practice has a special interest in dentistry and oro-facial surgery, Donna has been able to develop her skills further and she is currently running a successful programme of nurse clinics promoting oral health.  Both Gerhard and Donna have completed the Antirobe^TM Dental Leadership courses for vets and nurses respectively. This distance learning course is available through Pfizer's Territory Managers and is recognized as providing 10 hours of CPD time.

Serena Fox has been working towards increasing her knowledge of dentistry for some time while working at the Well Pet Clinic in London. She has attended a dentistry workshop and given talks to other staff members based on her new learning and in 2008 attended the Nursing Masterclass in Dentistry at BSAVA Congress where she found out more about the Certificate.

Marcon Tigges, Antirobe Product Manager commented, "For many years now we have awarded this bursary to champion the cause of further learning in dentistry and also to encourage nurses who want to progress their careers. We wish Serena and Donna the best of luck with their course."

For further information on the Antirobe Dental Leadership course nurses and vets can contact their Pfizer Business Account Manger.

Three new learning aids launched by BVA:

Practical Animal Handling - Online Tutorial
The BVA AWF have launched an online tutorial on practical animal handling which has been prepared in conjunction with Newcastle University. The tutorial is primarily aimed at veterinary students and nurses. It features videos of expert veterinary staff demonstrating the correct procedures for handling small animals for clinical examination and medication and its aim is to show that the primary consideration should be for the welfare of the animal. To access the online tutorial visit http://www.bva-awf.org.uk/resources/tutorials/.

Disbudding of Kid Goats
The Goat Veterinary Society (GVS) has produced a DVD designed to help veterinary surgeons to disbud goats. Produced in association with the BVA Animal Welfare Foundation the DVD is in memory of the late Mike Teale MRCVS, following a donation from his family. The DVD discusses the potential problems associated with disbudding kid goats and provides guidance on how to avoid them. It shows the best technique for disbudding from start to finish and discusses anatomical considerations, methods of anaesthesia and analgesia and disbudding, with particular attention drawn to the regulatory aspects as they currently apply in the UK. For further information on the GVS DVD, including obtaining a copy, at a cost of £10, please visit http://www.bva-awf.org.uk/headlines/news/Disbudding_of_kid_goats_DVD__2_.pdf.

Bat Care Guidelines - a Guide to Bat Care for Rehabilitators
The Bat Conservation Trust (BCT) has produced Bat Care Guidelines, in association with the BVA AWF, RSPCA and RCVS Trust, aimed at veterinary professionals, wildlife hospitals and new rehabilitators. The document is split into basic sections including 'health and safety', 'rescue and collection' and 'ailments and treatments' which aim to provide minimum guidelines for bat care. The new initiative is part of an ongoing partnership focusing on the rehabilitation of wild bats in the UK. Visit http://www.bva-awf.org.uk/grants/projects/BCT_workshop_article_08.pdf for further information.

Elanco has published a series of online video tutorials for practices that need help setting up and running a business presence on Facebook and Instagram.

The five-part series, which is hosted on Elanco’s customer portal MyElanco.co.uk, covers topics including managing social media communities, how to build a presence using social media advertising and how to respond to new regulations around personal data.

According to a report on Bloomberg, Facebook is reported to be on track to have 32.6 million regular users in the UK despite its falling audience of younger users. Meanwhile Instagram's UK user base was believed to be 16.7 million at the end of 2017. Hence why 81% of small and medium businesses are reported to use some kind of social platform.

Elanco Customer Experience Manager Matthew Rowe said: "The global popularity of social media sites means people now expect businesses to have a social media presence and veterinary practices are no different.

"More veterinary practices are launching business profiles, recognising how vital it is to have a social presence so they can engage with their clients outside of the consultation room. But we realise that it can seem like an intimidating and complex process. 

"The workshops have been created to help more vet practices get started with social media and gain more confidence to make the most out of it for the benefit of their business."

To watch the videos, register at MyElanco.co.uk and visit: https://www.myelanco.co.uk/CPD/video-workshop-part1

The Blue Cross has award presented its Veterinary Nurse of the Year award to Terri-Ann Corbett for her commitment to improving animal welfare, both within her veterinary practice and among the local community in Wrexham, Clwyd.

The award was presented on Saturday 8 October during the BVNA annual congress in Kettering, Northamptonshire by Noel Fitzpatrick, BBC1's 'Bionic Vet', and Tracy Genever, Blue Cross education development manager.

Tracy Genever said: "The Blue Cross presents the Veterinary Nurse of the Year award to recognise the hard work and dedication of vet nurses in the UK. So many vet nurses go the extra mile to not only help pets in their care but work tirelessly to educate pet owners in the whole of their community. We congratulate Terri-Ann who truly deserves to be this year's winner. She should feel very proud to have secured such obvious admiration and affection from her colleagues and clients."

Terri-Ann received an impressive 26 nominations from her colleagues at Daleside Veterinary Care Ltd, practice clients and her husband, Nigel.

Sharon Price, Practice Manager at Daleside said: "Terri-Ann is the consummate professional with bags of enthusiasm. She regularly brings innovative ideas to the practice and her clients always speak highly of her relationship with their animals. I am delighted that her efforts have been recognised through this award and hope she feels the value she truly deserves."

Terri-Ann said: I always wanted to be a veterinary nurse from as young as I can remember and never even thought I would get this far, so I was speechless when I found out I had won this award. Not only is it touching but such a great privilege, it really is a once in a lifetime achievement, Thank you so much."

MSD Animal Heath has launched a new dispensing pack to help veterinary practices develop retail sales for Cosequin DS, the joint supplement for pets.

The new dispensing pack, which doubles up as a display pack, contains 300 chews foil-wrapped for extra freshness in 30 packs of 10 strips, allowing Cosequin to stand in the waiting room or on reception.

The new pack, available now in wholesalers, replaces the previous 90, 120 and 180 DS chewable tablet pack sizes.

A new veterinary charity is offering veterinary surgeons, nurses and others in the profession the chance to get fit and raise money for Hounds for Heroes, SPANA and the Pet Blood Bank later this year.

The Vet Charity Challenge (VCC) is looking for teams to take part in a one-day event, involving a series of physical tasks and puzzle-solving challenges along the way, so it requires a bit of brain as well as brawn. The course will feature walking / running, cycling and kayaking and anyone can take part at whatever fitness level.

As well as raising money for the charities, organisers say it will be a fun way to build up camaraderie among your colleagues outside of the work environment and also a local PR opportunity for your practice or business to enhance your community profile.

The event is expecting to raise in excess of £30,000 for charity, but organisers stress that it will need the support of and participation by the veterinary profession to ensure it is a success.

The challenge will take place on Saturday 15th September 2012 at the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester and all details may be found on http://www.vetcharitychallenge.co.uk/. Alternatively, ring 01727 859259 for further information. The VCC says an early commitment to take part is essential and the fine detail of training can be worked out later. The VCC will provide training guidelines and help you and your  team  prepare itself.

The Vet Charity Challenge is sponsored by BCF Technology, Kruuse UK Ltd and Vets 2 and is supported by the VPMA, Mojo Consultancy and JCA Media Group.