The Royal Army Veterinary Corps (RAVC) is a specialist branch responsible for the procurement, training, and medical care of all animals used by the British Armed Forces. Centered around the Defence Animal Training Regiment in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, and the operational 1st Military Working Dog Regiment in North Luffenham, the corps combines veterinary expertise with frontline soldiering. Its personnel—comprising Veterinary Officers and Veterinary Technicians—manage the health and welfare of hundreds of Military Working Dogs (MWDs) used for explosive detection, tracking, and protection, as well as the ceremonial horses of the Household Cavalry and King's Troop. The corps ensures these critical animal assets remain fit for duty, providing everything from routine vaccinations to complex battlefield surgery.
