Nominations are being sought for the International Canine Health Awards, with a closing date of 13th February. The awards are run by the Kennel Club Charitable Trust and include a prize fund of £65,000 donated by Vernon and Shirley Hill, founders of Metro Bank, to go towards new or continued research.
The three categories are:
- International Prize in Canine Health for an outstanding contribution in the field of canine health and welfare, with a £40,000 prize for future projects.
- Lifetime Achievement Award with a £10,000 prize – awarded to a vet, or scientist working in a related discipline, who has dedicated much of his or her career to advancing the health of dogs.
- Student Inspiration Awards, split into undergraduate and postgraduate awards, with £10,000 for the postgraduate and £5,000 for the undergraduate winner. These prizes will aid further education costs, career development, or to create or continue a project. The awards will be presented to extraordinary students studying at a UK veterinary school, who demonstrate the potential significantly to advance the frontiers of veterinary medicine and research in the field of dogs.
Last year’s winners included Professor Holger Volk, recipient of the International Award, who was recognised for the work he has carried out in veterinary neurology and neurosurgery. Known for his work in canine epilepsy, Professor Volk has covered many topics within the field, including a study on diets to aid seizure control; an ongoing project on behavioural epilepsy co-morbidities and studies into quality of life issues for dogs and owners.
Professor Mike Herrtage won the Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to veterinary scholarship and research. The Dean of the Cambridge Veterinary School, Professor Herrtage is internationally recognised as a leading expert in diagnostic imaging and small animal medicine. His research has covered a broad range of topics over a 40-year career and he has a specialist focus in the field of metabolic and endocrine diseases.
Other 2016 winners were David Singleton, who won the Postgraduate Student Inspiration Award for his research into antimicrobial resistance in dogs and other animals; and Natalie Gibbons, winner of the Undergraduate Student Inspiration Award for her proposed research into the phenotypic and functional characterisation of canine monocytes.
Nominations should be made via the Kennel Club website before 13th February 2017 at http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/ICHA.
