The Kennel Club Charitable Trust International Canine Health Awards supported by Vernon and Shirley Hill, were launched at Crufts 2012 on 11 March 2012 on the Kennel Club Breeding for the Future Stand.

In attendance were Mike Townsend (Chairman of the Kennel Club Charitable Trust), Rosemary Smart CEO Kennel Club, Vernon and Shirley Hill and Dr Alan Kelly.

What are the Kennel Club Charitable Trust International Canine Health Awards?

Three new awards, which will celebrate and provide funding for individuals who are carrying out innovative research to improve dog health, will be launched by the Kennel Club Charitable Trust at Crufts.

The Kennel Club Charitable Trust International Canine Health Awards, which will be the largest veterinary awards in Europe, have been created to recognise innovative researchers, veterinary scientists and students from around the world, who have carried out research that has helped to improve the health and wellbeing of dogs.

The Awards, which are being underwritten by a major gift from the Vernon and Shirley Hill Family Foundation, will identify and encourage visionary thinking, ambition and life-changing accomplishments. Those who receive the awards will be passionate about making a difference for dogs. Each award provides a large funding programme to the recipient, which rewards them for their dedication and innovation in the field of canine health and welfare and invests in helping them to continue making a difference for dogs.

How to nominate and apply for the Kennel Club International Canine Health Awards

Nominations & applications are now being sought from vets, scientists and veterinary students for the Kennel Club Charitable Trust International Canine Health Awards, supported by the Vernon and Shirley Hill Family Foundation. 

The prestigious awards, which are the largest veterinary awards in Europe, give funding to those who are carrying out innovative research that will help to improve dog health.

Each award provides a large funding programme to the recipient, which rewards them for their dedication and innovation in the field of canine health and welfare and invests in helping them to continue making a difference for dogs. The awards will be:

• The International Prize in Canine Health Award – for outstanding contribution in the field of canine health and welfare in the world – a CV and five references will be required. The Award will be presented to someone who is currently involved in world class innovation but with much still to contribute. They will receive a £40,000 prize fund.
• The Lifetime Achievement Award – a veterinarian or scientist working in a related discipline who has dedicated much of their career to advancing the health of dogs – a CV and five references will be required. The Award will be presented to someone who has made a significant impact on the world stage of canine health. They will receive a £10,000 prize fund.
• The Student Inspiration Award – to inspire veterinary students to develop new ways of advancing the health and welfare of dogs in the UK and beyond – a completed application form (see below), an abstract of their research project, a CV (or CV of the nominated leader if it is a group research project) and a letter of recommendation from their faculty or research centre will be required. The Award will be presented to an extraordinary student studying at a British veterinary school, who demonstrates the potential to significantly advance the frontiers of veterinary medicine and research in the field of dogs. They will be awarded a £10,000 prize fund.

Nominations for the Student Inspiration Award should come from the Deans/Faculty Directors of British Veterinary Schools, who should fill out the form below:

Student Inspiration Award application form (PDF)

Entries will close on 30th November 2012.

If you are nominating somebody for one of these awards,  please send your nominations to catherine.torrance@thekennelclub.org.uk or to:

Catherine Torrance
The Kennel Club Charitable Trust
1-5 Clarges Street
Piccadilly
London W1J 8AB

The awards will be judged by representatives from the veterinary profession and the world of scientific research, including experts in the nominees’ selected fields.  Dr. Alan Kelley, Dean Emeritus of The University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, will chair the distinguished committee selecting the International Prize Winner.

Click here for more information about the awards

The awards will be judged by representatives from the veterinary profession and the world of scientific research, including experts in the nominees’ selected fields. Dr. Alan Kelley, Dean Emeritus of The University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, a native Scot, will chair the distinguished committee selecting the International Prize Winner. These will be the largest veterinary prizes in Europe.

Quotes from Rosemary Smart, Mike Townsend and Vernon Hill about the Awards

Rosemary Smart, Kennel Club Chief Executive, said: “We value the support of Vernon and Shirley in this and many of the Kennel Club's other initiatives. They are both true dog lovers and this exciting awards scheme demonstrates their support of work here in the UK and internationally, to bring about a healthier future for all dogs.”

Mike Townsend, Chairman of the Kennel Club Charitable Trust, said: “The Kennel Club Charitable Trust has been working with research facilities and veterinary medicine universities and organisations for more than twenty years, so we are proud to be able to recognise dedication and excellence in this field. The breakthroughs in science in recent years, coupled with the continued commitment to embracing and furthering this knowledge amongst outstanding professionals, will enable us to transform dog breeding and dog health in the future.”

Vernon Hill, Founder and Chairman of Metro Bank and whose Foundation underwrites the Awards, said: “We are excited to support these prestigious awards that will help transform canine health with the same visionary thinking and innovation that Metro Bank champions. Dogs are an important part of many people’s lives so we look forward to working with the Kennel Club Charitable Trust to support the people who are helping to ensure that they can lead the healthiest lives possible in the future. At Metro Bank, ‘Dogs Rule’.”

Background to Canine Research and how it is making a difference for dogs

International canine research over the past 20 years has led to an explosion of our understanding of the genetic makeup of the dog, particularly after the canine genome was sequenced in 2005.

This has enabled researchers to develop increasingly sophisticated technologies to understand dog genetics and health. This includes the development of DNA programmes that help to identify the mutations in genes that cause inherited diseases, which in turn has led to the development of DNA tests that breeders can use to eradicate the offending mutant gene from a breed’s gene pool.

Despite there being over 100 DNA tests available, continued research is required to address other inherited diseases caused by single gene mutations and there is every possibility that scientists will be able to provide DNA tests for the vast majority of these in the coming years. DNA tests also need to be developed for complex diseases, which result from the mutation of more than one gene and they are often influenced by environmental conditions. Such conditions include hip and elbow dysplasia, and inherited heart disease.

Helping humans

Increased research in canines won’t only benefit dogs. It is likely that most of the inherited diseases identified in the dog will have counterparts in humans. For example, quite a number of dog breeds suffer from an inherited eye condition known as progressive retinal atrophy (PRA); the equivalent condition in humans is known as retinitis pigmentosa (RP). It is already known that some of the mutant genes that are responsible for PRA in the dog are also responsible for forms of RP in humans. This link cannot be underestimated because the research required will often be more easily achieved in the dog and thus provide valuable short cuts for human clinicians to make progress in human inherited disease.

For further information and to find out how to enter visit www.thekennelclub.org.uk/charitabletrust

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8th March 2012

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