1st May 2008

Research Winners

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Two veterinary students have won substantial research scholarships from Cats Protection and Dogs Trust for their studies into feline and canine welfare.

At a ceremony held at the recent BSAVA Congress, Cats Protection and Dogs Trust awarded the scholarships – both consisting of project costs of up to £3,000 and prize money of £1,000 – to Gemma Patel, a fourth-year student at Liverpool University and Lydia Tong, a fifth-year student at Cambridge University for their projects designed to advance cat and dog care respectively.

The awards are part of the Veterinary Student Research Scholarships 2008 – in which both charities invite veterinary students to apply for funding for studies improving the care of cats or dogs. Gemma’s and Lydia’s studies were judged to be the best of the many high-quality entries that were received this year.

Gemma won the Cats Protection scholarship for her study focusing on whether Felifriend, a synthetic feline facial pheromone, can reduce anxiety-related behaviour in the examination of cats that are being looked after by a cat welfare organisation. Her study will involve her working with Cats Protection’s National Cat Adoption Centre in Chelwood Gate, Sussex, where she will monitor the response of 100 cats to Felifriend.

Dogs Trust’s research scholarship was awarded to Lydia for a retrospective study in which she will analyse and compare fractures in dogs that have suffered accidental injuries and non-accidental injuries, helping veterinary surgeons to more clearly identify those that have been victims of cruelty.

It is expected that both studies will take place over the summer, with both Gemma and Lydia producing a 1,500-word report that will appear in Cats Protection and Dogs Trust publications.