2 Dec 2020
Batt Laboratories has announced its support for West Midlands Police’s puppy development programme as it adds its first full-time veterinary team member.
James Westgate
Job Title
Image © West Midlands Police
The future looks bright for the next generation of recruits passing through the West Midlands Police puppy development health programme.
West Midlands Police is known as a world leader for its puppy programme, with the unit working alongside government agencies on a global scale to improve canine welfare.
Now with the support of new partner Batt Laboratories (BattLab), the programme will be expanded with the addition of the first full-time veterinary member to the dog unit’s dedicated team.
The puppy development health programme aims to centralise all of the unit’s laboratory work, to ensure appropriate health screening, including genetic testing for diseases and diagnosis of illness for all dogs.
RVN Jennie Smith said: “I am incredibly proud to be the first veterinary nurse to hold my position at the dog unit. This reflects a real commitment to our dogs’ health and well-being, but also ensure we are breeding with the best possible outcomes.
“Our puppy development health programme is among the best in the world, and we are pleased to have the support of BattLab and its team of boarded veterinary pathologists on hand to run the tests we need, and help advise us.”
Francesco Cian – lead clinical pathologist at BattLab and author of the Diagnostic Dilemmas column in Vet Times – said: “We are excited by this partnership.
“The dog unit’s work to establish a formal breed health programme will, I have no doubt, benefit from the comprehensive range of tests we offer and improve well-being for these talented canines.”
