World Vet Day: Celebrate the valuable work of vets worldwide

25/04/2015

Join us as we thank our amazing vets for their hard work for animals around the world.

"By educating a new generation of pet owners about responsible animal care, Dr Noraine and her students have the opportunity to bring about a societal shift in attitudes towards animals"

Whether it is administering lifesaving aid to animals in a disaster zone, teaching pet owners how to care for their animals, or pushing change for animals on the political agenda – vets play a crucial role in our work to protect animals around the world.

Vets as educators

One vet whose efforts are making the world a better place for animals is Dr Noraine P. Medina, who we last year awarded the first Asia Animal Welfare Award with the Federation of Asian Veterinary Associations (FAVA).

Dr Noraine has made it her mission to improve animal welfare education in the Philippines. She actively encourages her fellow lecturers to include animal welfare in their curriculum.

Since 2010, she has been a key driver for Advanced Concepts in Animal Welfare – our program for teaching animal welfare to students in higher education.

She has helped to run five workshops on animal welfare for 14 animal welfare teachers from different veterinary schools in the Philippines. And she also collaborates with her veterinary students to teach animal welfare to children at elementary and high schools.

Last year, a group of her students visited local elementary schools to give one hour seminars on animal welfare. Using posters and brochures from our First Concepts in Animal Welfare education program, children were taught about responsible pet ownership, and the correct way of addressing animal problems that could lead to unpredictable behaviours. 

By educating a new generation of pet owners about responsible animal care, Dr Noraine and her students have the opportunity to bring about a societal shift in attitudes towards animals.

Vets as advocates

On World Vet Day, we must also draw attention to the extraordinary contributions of the late David Bayvel, our Chief Veterinary Officer who sadly passed away earlier this year.

David had a strong belief that the veterinary profession should play an integral role as an advocate for animals in society. Read about the life of David Bayvel.