Our mission is to improve the prevention and treatment of diseases of animals by defining and applying best clinical practice, by understanding and developing the science underpinning best practice, and by embedding an education programme in the veterinary sciences that delivers the best veterinary practitioners, academics and research scientists A massive campaign going right to the top of the Government ensured that we stayed open, which was just as well given that a report in 1990 indicated that the Riley report had omitted to calculate the national requirement for veterinarians, and that there was indeed a shortage of veterinary surgeons