The winners of the Ceva Animal Welfare Awards 2018 have been revealerd at a glittering ceremony at the Birmingham Conference & Events Centre after a record-breaking number of nominations.
The awards were hosted by TV presenter and animal lover Matt Baker and retired veterinary surgeon Chris Laurence, who puts his name to the Vet of the Year Award. They recognise the achievements of people from the farming, veterinary and charity sectors, who go beyond the call of duty to better the lives of animals around the world including veterinary and charity professionals, researchers and volunteers. The awards’ ceremony on Wednesday (April 4) in the run-up to the British Small Animal Veterinary Association Congress saw praise bestowed on all the shortlisted nominees and winners across six categories.
Winners of the Ceva Animal Welfare Awards 2018 by category, are:
Chris Laurence Vet of the Year Award supported by Your Dog and Your Cat magazines –
Richard Saunders, Veterinary Advisor to the Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund (RWAF)
Welfare Nurse of the Year Award in association with Agria Pet Insurance –
Adina Valentine, Blue Cross Animal Hospital in Grimsby
Charity Team of the Year supported by PDSA – The Dog Breeding Reform Group
Charitable Contribution of the Year supported by Blue Cross – Helen Whiteside, Canine Research Associate at Guide Dogs
Farm Animal Welfare Award supported by R.A.B.I. and NADIS – The University of Nottingham Dairy Herd Health Group
International Cat Care Welfare of the Year Award – Maria Pinto Teixeira from Animals de Rua (AdR) in Portugal.
RECOGNITION
Two individuals and organisations were given special recognition during the evening. A Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Jenny Bunting, a retired veterinary surgeon from the Brighton Greyhound Owners Association and a Retired Greyhound Trust trustee. Jenny has volunteered for these organisations for about 40 years and, at 87 years old, keeps up her membership of the RCVS so that she can support the charity she helped found back in 1978. She often funds any medication needed by greyhounds in the care of the charity at her own expense. She was one of the first women to train as a vet in this country and has dedicated her life to the health and welfare of greyhounds.
International Cat Care was awarded a Special Recognition Award in appreciation of the charity’s 60 years of dedication to engage, educate and empower people throughout the world to improve the health and welfare of cats by sharing advice, training and passion.
Cohost Matt Baker said: “I am truly humbled by the hard work and dedication of individuals and organisations who are passionate about improving animal welfare and would like to congratulate both the finalists and the award winners who are making a real difference to the lives of animals both in the UK and abroad.”
Cuneyt Seckin, managing director of Ceva Animal Health, added: “The Ceva Animal Welfare Awards go from strength to strength, both in terms of the number and quality of entries that we receive during the nomination process and the dedication, commitment and enthusiasm of the finalists and winners who often go above and beyond the call of duty in the name of animal welfare.”