Pathogens of wildlife can have direct impacts on human and livestock health as well as on biodiversity, as causative factors in population declines and extinctions. The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) seeks to facilitate rapid sharing of information about animal diseases to enable up-to-date risk assessments of translocations of animals and animal products. The OIE also produces manuals of recommended methods to standardize diagnostic testing. Ranaviruses are important amphibian pathogens that may have spread through international trade, and infections became notifiable to OIE in 2009. We surveyed and reviewed published literature for data on sampling, diagnostic testing, and reporting of ranavirus during 2009-14. We also investigated attitudes and awareness of the OIE and its recommendations for best practice. We found that sampling effort is uneven and concentrated in the northern hemisphere. We also identified citizen science projects that have the potential to improve the quantity and quality of data on the incidence of ranavirus infection and the circumstances surrounding disease outbreaks. We found reporting of infection to be inconsistent: reporting was split between the published literature (where it was subject to a 2-yr lag) and the OIE with little overlap, results of negative diagnostic tests were underreported, and scientific researchers lacked awareness of the role of the OIE. Approaches to diagnostic screening were poorly harmonized and heavily reliant on molecular methods. These flaws in the mechanisms of ranavirus detection and reporting hamper the construction of a comprehensive disease information database.

Presenting the backstage story of a non-traditional qualitative research project, I illustrate how a creative approach can stimulate participant dialogue and encourage researcher reflexivity. Working with an award-winning playwright and the staff and volunteers at a community garden, I explored the meanings of connections between people and nature, and how these connections impact well-being, through a collaborative performance ethnography. The aim of the study is to stimulate discourse around the role of community gardens in enacting social and environmental change for well-being. This article is an exploration of how the creative approach we adopted, incorporating arts-based inquiry and performance as method, contributed to every aspect of the research process. First, it facilitated relaxed communications with the members of the community organisation who participated. Their interest was immediately piqued by the idea of being involved in the development of a play, which led to relaxed, playful discussion. Second, the creative approach provided new perspectives on the collection and analysis of data. It expanded my thinking, in developing my methodological approach to the research and in working towards a radical reflexivity. I suggest that creative approaches are applicable to many areas of organisational research.

The dilemma in the October issue concerned a local shelter's changing policy on euthanasia. It had previously promoted itself as a no-kill organisation, a policy for which it received significant public support and funding. However, its board of trustees had recently begun pressing for healthy animals to be put down because of a lack of capacity (In Practice, October 2014, vol 36, pp 478-479). Vanessa Ashall advised that, while it wouldn't be unethical for the board to formally review the shelter's stance on euthanasia, it would be unacceptable for the institution to surreptitiously shift its practices, as this would end up deceiving the public. She suggested that the vet involved should ask the trustees to clarify the principles underpinning the non-destruction policy and how those relate to the shelter's new circumstances.