Society and animal welfare - UK
Stray dog figures spiral as dog warden services face budget cuts
RSPCA calls for return of dog licences
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RSPCA calls for return of dog licences
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The United Kingdom is made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The official name is actually the "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland". Great Britain is the name given to England, Scotland, and Wales, while the British Isles is a geographical term which includes Great Britain, the whole of Ireland, and all the offshore islands.
There are four countries in the UK: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
England accounts for just over half of the total area of the UK and over 80% of its population (51m). Eight of the ten most populous cities in the UK are in England – Glasgow at number 3 and Edinburgh at number 7 are the exceptions. London is the largest city, with a population of over 7m, followed by Birmingham with a population of nearly 1m.
Scotland With a population of just over 5 million, Scotland has partial self-government within the United Kingdom as well as representation in the UK Parliament. The Scottish Government is responsible for most of the issues of day-to-day concern to the people of Scotland, including health, education, justice, rural affairs, and transport. It is led by a First Minister (currently Alex Salmond). There are 129 Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) and there are 59 MPs (Members of Parliament) representing Scotland in the House of Commons in London. The Scottish Government and the Scottish Parliament are both based in Edinburgh.
English is the official language of Scotland: Gaelic is spoken by less than 2% of the population. However Gaelic has in recent years experienced a renaissance. There are now many Gaelic units in primary schools, Gaelic Youth Clubs, many Gaelic television programmes, and Gaelic writing is flourishing.
The Scottish flag, called the Saltire, is a white diagonal cross on a blue background and it derives from the X shape of the cross on which Scotland's patron saint, St Andrew, was crucified.
Famous Scots include:
David Hume, Philosopher
Architect, designer and artist, Charles Rennie Mackintosh
Billy Connelly, comedian and actor
Sean Connery
Evelyn Glennie, one of the world's most talented percussionists (despite being deaf since childhood)
Pop and rock stars: Annie Lennox, Franz Fredinand, Travis, and the Proclaimers
Scotland has many world-class universities, including the University of St Andrews, University of Edinburgh, University of Aberdeen, Heriot-Watt University, and the University of Strathclyde.
Wales Like Scotland, Wales has partial self-government through the National Assembly for Wales and the Welsh Assembly Government. There are 60 Assembly Members in the National Assembly representing their constituencies, and in addition, Wales is represented by 40 MPs in the House of Commons in London. The First Minister of Wales is Rhodri Morgan.
Wales has a population of about 3 million and about 20% of those are Welsh speakers. ince the introduction of the Welsh Language Act 1993, Welsh has equal status with English in the public sector in Wales.
Technically, Wales is a principality, ruled by a prince. Traditionally the Prince of Wales is the eldest son of the English monarch. The Flag of Wales incorporates a red dragon on a green and white background. While the flags of England and Scotland can clearly be seen in the Union flag, the National Flag of the United Kingdom, the Welsh flag is not represented. This is because when the first Union Flag was created in 1606, Wales was already united with England.
Famous Welsh men and women include:
Poets Dylan Thomas and RS Thomas
Singers Tom Jones and Katherine Jenkins
Manic Street Preachers, Stereophonics, Catatonia
Prominent Welsh universities include: Cardiff University, Aberystwyth University, and Swansea University.
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland is situated in the north east of the island of Ireland. Its population is just under 2 million and its capital is Belfast.
For many years it was the site of a bitter ethno-political conflict known as “the Troubles” between those claiming to represent Nationalists, who are predominantly Roman Catholic, and those claiming to represent Unionists, who are predominantly Protestant. Unionists want Northern Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom, while nationalists wish it to be politically united with the rest of Ireland. In general, Unionists consider themselves British (or "Ulstermen") and Nationalists see themselves as Irish, though these identities are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Since the signing of the "Good Friday Agreement" in 1998, the paramilitary groups involved in the Troubles have ceased their armed campaigns.
Northern Ireland has devolved government within the United Kingdom. There is a Northern Ireland Executive together with the 108 member Northern Ireland Assembly. In addition,
Northern Ireland elects 18 Members of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons; only 13 take their seats, however, as the 5 Sinn Fein MPs refuse to do so on principle.
Famous Northern Irish men and women include:
The poet Seamus Heaney
Actors Liam Neeson, Siobhán McKenna and Kenneth Branagh
Rock and pop stars U2, Van Morrison, Snow Patrol, The Corrs, The Cranberries
Queen's University, Belfast has a strong international reputation.
There are four countries in the UK: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
England accounts for just over half of the total area of the UK and over 80% of its population (51m). Eight of the ten most populous cities in the UK are in England – Glasgow at number 3 and Edinburgh at number 7 are the exceptions. London is the largest city, with a population of over 7m, followed by Birmingham with a population of nearly 1m.
Scotland With a population of just over 5 million, Scotland has partial self-government within the United Kingdom as well as representation in the UK Parliament. The Scottish Government is responsible for most of the issues of day-to-day concern to the people of Scotland, including health, education, justice, rural affairs, and transport. It is led by a First Minister (currently Alex Salmond). There are 129 Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) and there are 59 MPs (Members of Parliament) representing Scotland in the House of Commons in London. The Scottish Government and the Scottish Parliament are both based in Edinburgh.
English is the official language of Scotland: Gaelic is spoken by less than 2% of the population. However Gaelic has in recent years experienced a renaissance. There are now many Gaelic units in primary schools, Gaelic Youth Clubs, many Gaelic television programmes, and Gaelic writing is flourishing.
The Scottish flag, called the Saltire, is a white diagonal cross on a blue background and it derives from the X shape of the cross on which Scotland's patron saint, St Andrew, was crucified.
Famous Scots include:
David Hume, Philosopher
Architect, designer and artist, Charles Rennie Mackintosh
Billy Connelly, comedian and actor
Sean Connery
Evelyn Glennie, one of the world's most talented percussionists (despite being deaf since childhood)
Pop and rock stars: Annie Lennox, Franz Fredinand, Travis, and the Proclaimers
Scotland has many world-class universities, including the University of St Andrews, University of Edinburgh, University of Aberdeen, Heriot-Watt University, and the University of Strathclyde.
Wales Like Scotland, Wales has partial self-government through the National Assembly for Wales and the Welsh Assembly Government. There are 60 Assembly Members in the National Assembly representing their constituencies, and in addition, Wales is represented by 40 MPs in the House of Commons in London. The First Minister of Wales is Rhodri Morgan.
Wales has a population of about 3 million and about 20% of those are Welsh speakers. ince the introduction of the Welsh Language Act 1993, Welsh has equal status with English in the public sector in Wales.
Technically, Wales is a principality, ruled by a prince. Traditionally the Prince of Wales is the eldest son of the English monarch. The Flag of Wales incorporates a red dragon on a green and white background. While the flags of England and Scotland can clearly be seen in the Union flag, the National Flag of the United Kingdom, the Welsh flag is not represented. This is because when the first Union Flag was created in 1606, Wales was already united with England.
Famous Welsh men and women include:
Poets Dylan Thomas and RS Thomas
Singers Tom Jones and Katherine Jenkins
Manic Street Preachers, Stereophonics, Catatonia
Prominent Welsh universities include: Cardiff University, Aberystwyth University, and Swansea University.
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland is situated in the north east of the island of Ireland. Its population is just under 2 million and its capital is Belfast.
For many years it was the site of a bitter ethno-political conflict known as “the Troubles” between those claiming to represent Nationalists, who are predominantly Roman Catholic, and those claiming to represent Unionists, who are predominantly Protestant. Unionists want Northern Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom, while nationalists wish it to be politically united with the rest of Ireland. In general, Unionists consider themselves British (or "Ulstermen") and Nationalists see themselves as Irish, though these identities are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Since the signing of the "Good Friday Agreement" in 1998, the paramilitary groups involved in the Troubles have ceased their armed campaigns.
Northern Ireland has devolved government within the United Kingdom. There is a Northern Ireland Executive together with the 108 member Northern Ireland Assembly. In addition,
Northern Ireland elects 18 Members of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons; only 13 take their seats, however, as the 5 Sinn Fein MPs refuse to do so on principle.
Famous Northern Irish men and women include:
The poet Seamus Heaney
Actors Liam Neeson, Siobhán McKenna and Kenneth Branagh
Rock and pop stars U2, Van Morrison, Snow Patrol, The Corrs, The Cranberries
Queen's University, Belfast has a strong international reputation.
2012. April 4 - Northern Ireland has become the first place in the UK to introduce compulsory microchips for dogs. The Executive hopes the new law will make it easier to identify dogs and thus reduce the number of strays.
The microchips contain a unique number and are implanted into the loose skin between a dog's shoulder blades.
The microchips contain a unique number and are implanted into the loose skin between a dog's shoulder blades.
(2012) Bonnie was found as stray. She has various injuries all over her body including a gash on her head which looks as though it should have been stitched, but no one cared enough to bother. She is underweight (she weights just 9kg when she should be 22kg) and has clearly been used for breeding. Her injuries indicate she may have also been used as a bait dog. Source
New countryside crime of 'horse tipping' and 'fly grazing' Hundreds of horses in poor condition are being dumped in the countryside in a new crime know as 'horse-tipping" or "fly-grazing" (2012).
The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) has received more than 200 calls in the last year from exasperated land owners who have found neglected horses abandoned on their land.
The animals are often in a poor condition and can be wild and dangerous to handle.
Unscrupulous owners are also putting horses out to graze on private land as prices of hay and grassland increases, then refusing to remove the animals. It is believed the increase in abandoned horses has been driven by the recession that means many horse owners are struggling to keep their pets.
Old horses that cannot be sold are expensive to maintain and it is also costly to call out a vet for humane euthanasia. Source
The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) has received more than 200 calls in the last year from exasperated land owners who have found neglected horses abandoned on their land.
The animals are often in a poor condition and can be wild and dangerous to handle.
Unscrupulous owners are also putting horses out to graze on private land as prices of hay and grassland increases, then refusing to remove the animals. It is believed the increase in abandoned horses has been driven by the recession that means many horse owners are struggling to keep their pets.
Old horses that cannot be sold are expensive to maintain and it is also costly to call out a vet for humane euthanasia. Source