New veterinary award launched

The Blue Cross and Hill’s Pet Nutrition launched an exciting new Veterinary Student Award at the Association of Veterinary Students (AVS) congress.

The award is a bursary of £1000, sponsored by Hill’s Pet Nutrition, towards funding study and research into an area of veterinary practice that interests the winning student. It will be presented to the student who submits the paper that most successfully assesses and summarises work or study undertaken across the globe that builds on the benefits of the human companion animal bond in society.

Steve Goody, director of companion animal welfare at The Blue Cross, said: “The promotion of human companion animal bond is central to the aims of both The Blue Cross and Hill’s and has an obvious link with the veterinary profession. We look forward to rewarding those who work hard to promote it.”

The theme for the AVS conference was animal welfare and Elizabeth Ormerod, chairman of the Society for Companion Animal Studies gave a talk on the benefits of the human companion animal bond to around 200 student delegates prior to the launch of the award by Steve Goody and Libby Sheridan, Hill’s veterinary affairs manager (pictured left).

The first winner will be announced in January 2007, and the award will be presented annually thereafter. Papers should be submitted, in the form of an essay not longer than 1500 words, either through Association of Veterinary Students representatives or directly to The Blue Cross or Hills by 30 September 2006.

Please send submissions to: Steve Goody, Blue Cross Head Office, Shilton Road, Burford, Oxon, OX18 4PF.