The awards celebrate the achievements of remarkable people from the farming, veterinary and charity industries, who go beyond the call of duty to better the lives of animals around the world. Nominations were submitted by friends, family, clients and colleagues.

Spanning eight categories, the shortlist for the 2019 Ceva Animal Welfare Awards is as follows:

Chris Laurence Vet of the Year Award supported by Vet Record
• Chris ‘Sid’ Parker, Scarsdale Vet Group
• Hannah Capon, Canine Arthritis Management
• Alison Thomas, Blue Cross (London)

Vet Nurse of the Year Award supported by Agria Pet Insurance
• Libby Smith, Westover Vets, Norwich
• Hayley Telling, Canine Partners, Midhurst
• Rachel Wright, TOLFA
Charity Team of the Year supported by PDSA
• Cavy Corner, Doncaster
• Ebony Horse Club, Brixton
• The Asociacion de Proteccion Animal La Troupe, Granada, Spain

Charitable Contribution of the Year supported by Blue Cross
• Annette and Colin Faulkner, Lincolnshire Bat Group
• Fiona Gammell, Wicklow Animal Welfare
• Georgina Groves, Wild Welfare

Farmer of the Year Award supported by R.A.B.I.
• Andy Gilman, Statfold Farm, Tamworth
• David Finlay, Rainton Farm, Castle Douglas
• Marshalls Farm Ltd, Billingshurst

Farm Educator of the Year – sponsored by NADIS
• Sarah Tomlinson, Westpoint Farm Vets
• Oliver Hodgkinson, Trefaldwyn Veterinary Clinic
• James Griffiths, Taynton Court Farm, Gloucester

International Cat Care Welfare Award
International Cat Care will be choosing the winner of this award from its extensive membership base. The winner will be announced at the awards’ ceremony.

The judges have granted an award in special recognition of an individual’s lifetime commitment to animal welfare. The Outstanding Contribution to Animal Welfare Award is supported by Your Dog and Your Cat magazines and will be announced on the night of the awards.

The shortlist for each award was decided following a day of deliberations by a panel of esteemed judges chaired by retired veterinary surgeon, Chris Laurence MBE FRCVS. Chris has a wealth of experience in animal welfare; he is chairman of the Animal Welfare Foundation, the Canine and Feline Sector Group of the Animal Health and Welfare Board and BVBA (British Veterinary Behaviour Association) and before retiring he was chief veterinary officer at the RSPCA and veterinary director of Dogs Trust. He is also involved in a number of charities and is a trustee of the Pet Blood Bank and the Bella Moss Foundation.

Chair of the judging panel, Chris Laurence, says: “The variety and scope of the nominations never cease to amaze me and highlight how much extraordinary effort goes into improving animal welfare by a diverse but dedicated group of people. The variety of work undertaken by this year’s candidates covered almost every aspect of contact with animals imaginable and does so much to improve their lives. How many of them fit their level of effort into their lives continues to amaze and inspire the judges and makes shortlisting finalists and picking winners an ever more difficult task.”

Cuneyt Seckin, managing director of Ceva Animal Health, adds: “The Ceva Animal Welfare Awards go from strength-to-strength in both the quantity and quality of the nominations that we receive. We are delighted to be able to honour the individuals and organisations who dedicate their lives to enhance and improve animal welfare both in the UK and abroad.”

Winners will be revealed and presented with their awards during a glitzy ceremony held in Birmingham ahead of BSAVA Congress on 3rd April 2019. To find out more about the awards visit www.cevawelfareawards.com.

For further press information, please contact:
Jessica Henman at Vita Communications
Tel:01488 683862 Mob: 07771 897954
Email: jessica.henman@vitacomms.com