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IT seems extraordinary that, after 140 years, the name of the State Veterinary Service ( svs ) is to be dropped as a result of a rebranding exercise, but that appears to be what is happening. As The Veterinary Record reported last week, the svs is to be renamed 'Animal Health' from April 1, to reflect a wider remit resulting from mergers with the Dairy Hygiene and Egg Marketing Inspectorates, and the Wildlife Licensing and Registration Service. Announcing the change in a letter e-mailed to veterinary and other organisations on March 21, the chief executive, Ms Glenys Stacey, acknowledged that there were 'sensitive issues' surrounding the name of the agency, but indicated that the old one was no longer felt to be suitable. 'We have worked extensively with our people to explore the relevance and effectiveness of the name State Veterinary Service - for today and for the future - and despite real emotional attachment to the name, we have found it wanting' (VR , March 24, 2007, vol 160, p 386).
Ms Stacey explained that the svs 's work in animal health and welfare and public health is 'increasingly varied, and not always veterinary (in the strict sense of the word), although veterinarians continue to play an essential and valued role in our organisation day-to-day and in exotic disease outbreaks'. The organisations joining the SVS in the enlarged...