Vet Candy Joins Calls to Keep Cambridge Veterinary School Open
Growing opposition continues to mount against the proposed closure of the University of Cambridge’s veterinary medicine programme, as leading professional organisations warn the move could weaken the UK’s veterinary, public health, and research infrastructure.
The Royal College of Pathologists (RCPath) and the British Society of Veterinary Pathologists (BSVP) are the latest organisations to formally protest the recommendation to cease veterinary education at Cambridge. In an open letter, the groups expressed “profound concern” and urged the university to reconsider, citing far-reaching consequences for animal health, zoonotic disease preparedness, and One Health research.
Their intervention follows earlier opposition from a British Veterinary Association (BVA)–led coalition of 20 veterinary organisations, along with widespread concern from veterinarians, academics, policymakers, and Cambridge alumni.
One Health and Workforce Implications
RCPath and BSVP emphasized that while universities face complex financial and structural pressures, closing a veterinary programme of Cambridge’s stature would extend well beyond academic restructuring.
They warned the decision would reduce the number of veterinarians available for public health, government, and research roles, at a time when the UK already faces a veterinary workforce shortage. The organisations also highlighted ethical and economic implications for agriculture, companion animal care, wildlife conservation, and national biosecurity.
“At a time when global health security depends on one health approaches, reducing veterinary training capacity represents a strategic weakness in the UK’s health infrastructure,” the letter stated.
Vet Candy Voices Support
Vet Candy, a global veterinary media and education platform with a strong Gen Z and millennial audience, has also publicly voiced support for keeping the programme open.
In a statement, Vet Candy’s CEO said:
“Vet Candy stands in strong support of keeping the University of Cambridge’s veterinary medicine programme open beyond 2026. At a time when the global veterinary workforce is already under strain, reducing training capacity at one of the world’s most respected academic institutions sends the wrong message to future veterinarians, researchers, and public health leaders.
Veterinary medicine is not an isolated profession. It is foundational to food security, zoonotic disease prevention, biomedical research, and One Health collaboration. Cambridge’s vet school plays a uniquely important role in advancing science, pathology, and interdisciplinary research that benefits both animal and human health worldwide.
Closing this programme would weaken long-term preparedness, limit innovation, and reduce opportunities for training veterinary professionals equipped to address complex global health challenges. We urge the University of Cambridge to reconsider this recommendation and invest in sustaining a programme that has far-reaching impact well beyond its campus.
The future of veterinary medicine depends on leadership, not contraction.”
Decision Delayed
A decision on the proposed closure was expected to be made at a recent general board meeting, but reports suggest the vote has been postponed with no new date set. The delay is believed to give the Department of Veterinary Medicine additional time to present its case against the recommendation.
The department itself has led much of the internal opposition, supported by high-profile figures including veterinarian and MP Danny Chambers, as well as former United Nations Chief Veterinary Officer Keith Sumption, a Cambridge alumnus.
As pressure continues to build, veterinary leaders across disciplines argue that the decision will shape not only the future of veterinary education in the UK, but the country’s long-term capacity to respond to emerging health threats at the animal-human interface.
Show your voice matters here by signing the letter of support for the school: https://savethevetschool.co.uk
