Every year, the British Small Animal Veterinary Association, holds an award ceremony, at the start of the BSAVA Congress. Some of these awards are for work that concerns the health and welfare of cats. The awards included the following:

Amoroso Award
The Amoroso Award is presented by Hill’s Pet Nutrition for outstanding contributions to small animal studies by a non-clinical member of university staff. The award, which takes the form of a textbook of the awardee’s choice and a cheque, was instituted in memory of the late Professor E. C. Amoroso of the Royal Veterinary College. Stuart Carter receives the award for his sustained contribution to the study of immunology and rheumatic diseases of dogs, cats and horses. He has made major contributions to the understanding of rheumatoid and osteoarthritis in dogs, as well as more recent contributions to DLA typing and classification. Stuart is currently Professor of Veterinary Pathology at the Departments of Veterinary Pathology and of Veterinary Clinical Science and Animal Husbandry at the University of Liverpool.

Blaine Award
Presented by Royal Canin, the Blaine Award recognises outstanding contributions to the advancement of small animal veterinary medicine or surgery. The award takes the form of a plaque and cheque. Veterinarians and non-veterinarians are eligible as recipients. This year the award is presented to Simon Platt for his outstanding contribution to the advancement of small animal medicine. Simon is Head of the Neurology Unit at the Animal Health Trust. Simon is a
Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine in Neurology and
of the European College of Veterinary Neurology. He is Editor of the BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Neurology.

Bourgelat Award
Since 1965, the Bourgelat Award has been the Association’s primary international recognition for really outstanding contributions to the field of small animal practice. The award takes the form of an engraved decanter and scroll. Alice Wolf is presented with the award for advancing the knowledge of feline medicine and for her impressive record as a world reknown speaker in veterinary education. Alice is currently a Professor in the Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery at Texas A & M University. She is a Diplomate of ACVIM, and a charter Diplomate by examination of the ABVP Feline Practice Specialty. Dr Wolf has special interests in the areas of feline medicine, infectious disease, and immunology. She is the author of numerous journal articles, book chapters, and is a consultant for the Veterinary Information Network online.

J. A. Wight Memorial Award
This award is presented by The Blue Cross animal welfare charity to recognise outstanding contributions to the welfare of companion animals. The award celebrates the memory of Alf Wight, otherwise known to millions as the fictitious James Herriot. Veterinarians on the RCVS register are eligible as recipients of the award, which takes the form of an inscribed figure and cheque. The recipient of the award this year is Irene Rochlitz, for her valuable work on the welfare of cats kept in confined environments, such as quarantine catteries, shelters and laboratories. Irene, a world reknown feline behaviourist, graduated from the University of Bristol, before spending a year as Feline Advisory Bureau Scholar. In 1991, after six years in mixed and small animal practice, she moved to Cambridge where she obtained an MSc in Veterinary Oncology followed by a PhD in Feline Welfare. As well as working in small animal practice, Irene is a member of the Animal Welfare and Human-animal Interactions Group at the
University of Cambridge.

Woodrow Award
This award is presented for outstanding contribution in the field of small animal veterinary medicine. The award takes the form of a scroll and is in memory of C. E. (‘Woody’) Woodrow, a founder member of the Association and its first President. This year the Woodrow Award is being presented posthumously to Penney Barber for her outstanding contribution to feline chronic renal failure research. Penney was an incredibly well respected feline clinician, a prolific contributor to a wide range of publications and a popular speaker on CPD courses. The award is received on Penney’s behalf by her parents, Kneale and Elsie Barber, and her sister Toni Cummings.

Clinical Research Abstract 2004 Winner
The clinical research abstracts are an important part of the Scientific Programme of BSAVA Congress, and the Association offers two prizes each year for the best abstracts presented by a resident or student in the general areas of medicine and surgery. The award takes the form of £300 to be spent on continuing education, either in the UK or overseas. Toby Gemmill wins the prize for the best abstract in the surgery section while Karen Coyne wins the medicine prize. Toby, of the University Glasgow Veterinary School, presented results from an investigation using reconstructed computed tomography (CT) to define elbow joint incongruency in canine coronoid disease.

This work was supported by a grant from Petsavers. Karen, of the Faculty of Veterinary Science at Liverpool University, presented an abstract on her research into the longitudinal shedding patterns of feline calicivirus (FCV) in persistently infected colonies. FCV is one of the major causative agents of upper respiratory disease in domestic cats, and her studies have highlighted the high prevalence and complex epidemiology of FCV within colonies of cats.

Animal behaviourist honoured by animal charity

THE Blue Cross Welfare Award (part of this year’s Petplan Awards) was awarded to Dr Roger Mugford for his pioneering work in the field of animal behaviourism.
Blue Cross President, Dr Alastair Porter, presented the award at the British Small Animal Veterinary Association Congress.

Since first establishing his referral practice over 20 years ago, animal behaviourism has become a recognised discipline, and Dr Roger Mugford has undoubtedly become a leading expert in the field. Dr Mugford works closely with the veterinary profession and is widely recognised as an authority on aggression in dogs. He is highly regarded internationally and lectures in the United States and in mainland Europe.

Understanding animal behaviour is just one way in which The Blue Cross helps hundreds of insecure dogs and cats become happy and contented pets every year.

The Blue Cross was the first UK animal charity to create its own animal behaviour team and have a network of dog and cat advisors at all its animal adoption centres. In 2003 the charity extended its behaviour courses to include staff at its four animal hospitals.