Two guest judges will join this year’s judging panel for the Burgess Excel Vet Awards, which celebrate the nation’s veterinary practices, vets and nurses who are dedicated to improving the lives of domestic rabbits and guinea pigs in the UK.
Matthew Gough, Head of Operations at Raystede Centre for Animal Welfare, and Mary Coles, a PhD research student with the Small Animal Veterinary Surveillance Network (SAVSNET) at the University of Liverpool, will help to judge this year’s entries for the Rabbit Awareness Week Campaign of the Year and Small Animal Student of the Year categories respectively. Matthew Gough, Head of Operations at Raystede Centre for Animal Welfare, and Mary Coles, a PhD research student with the Small Animal Veterinary Surveillance Network (SAVSNET) at the University of Liverpool, will help to judge this year’s entries for the Rabbit Awareness Week Campaign of the Year and Small Animal Student of the Year categories respectively.
Mary Coles’ research, which is funded by Burgess Pet Care, focuses on investigating the health and welfare of small exotic mammal species and enables her to explore the available data on these species.
Mary said: “I’m passionate about improving the lives of small exotic mammals by ensuring that their care and welfare is better understood. Through my work with SAVSNET, I analyse data from veterinary practices across the UK to identify trends and emerging issues, aiming to enhance how we care for these animals.
“The student award is a wonderful opportunity to identify the next generation of vets who go above and beyond to strengthen their knowledge and be a champion for the welfare of these species. I’m looking forward to being a part of this year’s judging panel.”
Matt Gough leads all functions that directly relate to animal welfare at Raystede which means he has experienced firsthand, the varying consumer approaches to animal welfare.
Matt said: “My job includes making sure Raystede helps as many rabbits as possible to find new homes after they are accepted into our care. Unfortunately, that means I frequently see the result of rabbits not being cared for well, as we accept them in varying states of health and from environments that don’t support them having a good life. Without campaigns such as RAW, far fewer people would be supported to understand just how complex providing properly for rabbits can be. This is why improving rabbit welfare through RAW is so important to me, and Raystede, why we are proud to support the campaign every year and why I am thrilled to judge the Best RAW Campaign category in the Excel Vet Awards this year.”
Organised by Burgess Pet Care and now in their fifth successful year, the annual awards are free to enter and are open to practising veterinary practices and professionals across the UK who consistently provide the highest levels of advice, care and compassion for rabbits, guinea pigs and their owners.
The rest of this year’s judging panel is made up of Suzanne Moyes, deputy managing director and veterinary director at Burgess Pet Care; Rae Walters, director of the Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund (RWAF); John Chitty, co-director of a small animals/ exotics practice in Andover; Sophie Jenkins, advanced practitioner in zoological medicine and founder of Origins Vets, Cardiff; and Dani Sewell, communications director at Fred Marketing.
Judging criteria for each of the seven awards categories is available on the Vet Awards website.
The closing date for nominations is 22 November 2024 and the winners will be announced on 17 December 2024.
One winner from each category will receive a trophy and cash prize of £250.
Award nominations can be made via the nomination form on the Excel Vet Awards website. Self-nominations may also be made.
