UK Veterinary Profession Pushes Back on Proposed Closure of Cambridge Vet School
An open letter signed by nearly every major UK veterinary association calls the recommendation “premature, flawed, and short-sighted.”
The UK veterinary profession is mounting a united front against a proposal that could fundamentally alter the future of veterinary education, research, and public health in the United Kingdom.
This week, the British Veterinary Association (BVA), alongside more than 20 veterinary organizations, released an open letter urging the University of Cambridge to reject a recommendation to close its undergraduate veterinary medicine program. The move follows a high-level meeting held on Friday, 9 January, between BVA President Dr. Rob Williams MRCVS and representatives from Cambridge’s School of the Biological Sciences, where Dr. Williams pressed the university to reverse its recommendation to Cambridge University’s General Board.
The response from the profession has been swift — and emphatic.
“A Profound Gamble With Public Health”
In the letter, Dr. Williams articulates what many veterinarians view as the core issue: the proposed closure is not merely an internal academic decision, but a national public health risk.
Cambridge-trained veterinarians and veterinary scientists play a critical role in:
Epidemiology and disease surveillance
Zoonotic and interspecies transmission research
Pandemic preparedness and response
According to the letter, eliminating the program would amount to a “profound gamble with public health and scientific excellence,” weakening the UK’s ability to anticipate and respond to future global health threats — a concern that resonates deeply in a post-COVID world.
Veterinary medicine sits at the intersection of animal health, human health, and environmental health. Removing Holden of one of the country’s most research-intensive veterinary programs, the profession argues, undermines the very foundations of the One Health approach the UK has long championed.
Workforce Resilience and Food Security at Risk
Beyond public health, the letter highlights the long-term workforce consequences of closing one of the UK’s most prestigious veterinary schools.
The profession is already grappling with:
Workforce shortages
Burnout and attrition
Increasing demand across companion animal, farm, public health, and research sectors
Closing Cambridge would constrict the pipeline of highly trained veterinarians and veterinary scientists at a time when food safety, animal welfare, and agricultural sustainability are under increasing pressure.
The ripple effects would be felt across:
Livestock and farm animal medicine
Veterinary public health and government roles
Scientific research and policy development
As the letter emphasizes, this is not simply about fewer graduates — it’s about losing a specific caliber of interdisciplinary training that Cambridge uniquely provides.
Loss of Critical Tertiary Care and Regional Impact
The proposed closure would also result in the loss of a key tertiary referral center, particularly impacting farm animal and specialist care in the region.
For clients and referring veterinarians, this means:
Fewer referral options
Reduced access to advanced diagnostics and specialist services
Increased pressure on already stretched referral hospitals
In rural and agricultural communities especially, the loss of Cambridge’s clinical services would represent a significant blow to client choice and animal care standards.
A Rare Unified Voice Across the Profession
One of the most striking elements of the open letter is the breadth of support behind it.
The letter is co-signed by organizations representing virtually every corner of the profession, including:
The Association of Veterinary Students
British Small Animal Veterinary Association
British Cattle Veterinary Association
British Equine Veterinary Association
Pig, Poultry, Goat, Sheep, and Deer Veterinary Societies
Veterinary Public Health Association
Association of Government Veterinarians
British Veterinary LGBT+ Society
Veterinary Management Group
Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons
This level of unity is rare — and underscores how seriously the profession views the proposed closure.
“An Indispensable National Resource”
In a statement accompanying the letter, Dr. Williams warned that the consequences would extend far beyond Cambridge itself:
“The potential closure of one of the UK’s most prestigious vet schools is extremely worrying. The loss of Cambridge would undoubtedly affect current and future veterinary students, but the shockwaves will be felt far more widely, with serious implications for food safety, animal and human health and welfare; scientific research and progress; and additional pressure on the veterinary workforce providing medical care to pets, livestock and other animals.”
He concluded with a call for leadership and long-term thinking:
“Together, the veterinary profession urges the University's governing bodies to reject this recommendation, recognise the irreplaceable public good the school provides, and commit to finding a robust, sustainable funding model that preserves Cambridge's vital role at the forefront of global health and scientific leadership.”
Why This Matters Beyond the UK
While this debate is unfolding in the UK, its implications are global.
At a time when veterinary education worldwide is facing:
Rising costs
Institutional consolidation
Shifting research priorities
The Cambridge decision serves as a test case for how societies value veterinary medicine — not just as a profession, but as a pillar of public health, food security, and scientific preparedness.
For veterinary students, educators, clinicians, and policymakers alike, the message from the UK profession is clear:
Veterinary schools are not expendable. They are strategic national assets.
