An American veterinarian, board-certified in both animal welfare and behaviour, has been announced as the recipient of this year’s World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) Award for Companion Animal Welfare. Melissa Bain is a professor of Clinical Animal Behaviour at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in the US, where her research interests include enrichment for confined cats, owner attachment issues and stress in shelter animals. She is to receive the Award in recognition of the significant contribution she has made to animal welfare through integrating the field of human-animal interactions with veterinary clinical behaviour.
Bain received her DVM from the University of Illinois and worked as an associate in a small animal practice in suburban Chicago and a mixed-animal practice in south west Wisconsin before joining UC Davis, initially as a resident. In addition to her clinical, teaching, and research duties as Professor of Clinical Animal Behaviour, she is Director of Professional St
Student Clinical Education. In this role she mentors veterinary students and residents, ensuring that the next generation of veterinarians is equipped with the expertise to further advance companion animal welfare globally. Her passion for veterinary education led her to lobby successfully for an increase in the range of courses on animal behaviour and welfare courses available to veterinary students and to better integrate them within UC Davis’ overall veterinary school curriculum. She is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Animal Welfare Assessment Contest (AWJAC) Advisory Board. The AWJAC is an annual educational event run by the AVMA for veterinary, undergraduate and graduate students, along with veterinarians, with the goal of increasing understanding and awareness of the welfare issues affecting animals used for human purposes...
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