Founder
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Carol Fowler B.A (Hons) PGCE
Creator of the Cavalier Campaign and DogBreedHealth websites
Chair and Secretary of DBRG 2013-2018 'Shaper' of DBRG 2019 onwards In a former life Carol was Head of English at a secondary school in Bristol. She had her first dog, Bonnie, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, in 1999. As a result of discovering that her dog had a devastating breed related genetic disease, Carol began to campaign for the improved health of purebred dogs. Carol featured in the BBC documentary film, 'Pedigree Dogs Exposed' in 2008. She created the website, DogBreedHealth to provide breed related health information to potential dog owners. Carol was awarded the Ceva Pet Lovers Award in 2012. She is current Chairperson of DBRG, trustee and Secretary. Carol is also a trustee of Cavalier Matters charity.
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Trustees
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Dr Fiona Cooke BSc (Hons) PG Dip MA Law PhD, MSc Applied Animal Behaviour and Welfare, Member of APBC , Clinical Animal Behaviourist, (ABTC)
Animal Law and Behaviour Specialist
Fiona's PhD focused on the role of local authorities in the implementation and enforcement of animal welfare legislation. In addition to her work in law and policy she has considerable practical experience advising on animal welfare and behaviour. She presently works as an advisor in the charitable sector as a professional behaviourist and as a lecturer in law. Fiona has two dogs and a cat who also keep her busy.
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David Grimsell B.Sc (Hons) M.A Dip H.E. (Open University)
Animal Welfare Campaigner
Treasurer David is an active campaigner on animal welfare and environmental issues. Before joining DBRG, he was a core member of CARIAD and was heavily involved in the campaign to bring in new dog breeding regulations in Wales, and to improve local authority licensing standards. David volunteers with local dog rescue organisations. He is also actively involved in work to improve horse welfare in Wales as a founding member of Friends of Swansea Horses (FOSH), and to protect wildlife in Cardigan Bay. David is scientifically trained and is a qualified psychologist. He is a trustee and treasurer of DBRG.
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Dr Dan O'Neill MVB BSc(hons) GPCert(SAP) GPCert(FelP) GPCert(Derm) GPCert(B&PS) MSc(VetEpi) PhD FRCVS
Royal Veterinary College, VetCompass
Dan graduated from Dublin Vet School in 1987 and worked in general practice until 2009. An MSc in Veterinary Epidemiology in 2010 was followed by a PhD in 2013 developing the VetCompass Programme to collect primary care practice data for epidemiological research. Supported by the Kennel Club Charitable Trust, Dan continues to expand VetCompass applications at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) to explore health and welfare issues in companion animals. He is now Senior Lecturer in Companion Animal Epidemiology at the RVC. Dan is a founding member and trustee of DBRG.
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Dr Clare Rusbridge BVMS PhD DipECVN MRCVS RCVS and European Specialist in Veterinary Neurology
Advisory Council on the Welfare Issues of Dog Breeding (DAC)
Veterinary Neurologist Clare graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1991 and following an internship at the University of Pennsylvania and general practice in Cambridgeshire, she completed a BSAVA/Petsavers Residency and was staff clinician in Neurology at the RVC. She became a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Neurology in 1996 and a RCVS Specialist in 1999. In 2007 Clare was awarded a PhD from Utrecht University for her thesis on Chiari-like malformation and Syringomyelia - a painful disease occurring in some toy dog breeds. For sixteen years Clare operated a neurology and neurosurgery referral service at the Stone Lion Veterinary Hospital in Wimbledon. In September 2013 Clare joined Fitzpatrick Referrals and the University of Surrey where she is continuing her clinical and research work. Her professional interests include neuropathic pain, inherited diseases, epilepsy and rehabilitation following spinal injury.
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Katharine Williams
Legal advisor and DBRG Governance
Katharine is a practicing solicitor and member of the Association of Lawyers for Animal Welfare (ALAW), with a particular interest in companion animals. Katharine had her first dog, an Airedale, 30 years ago, and has never been without a canine companion since. the support from the DBRG became a lifeline when she lost one of her beloved Dobermanns last year. Katharine realised the valuable work DBRG is doing to improve the standards of dog breeding and how important puppy welfare is in general. She is now keen to use her legal skills to help whenever and wherever she can.
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Members
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Julia Carr B.Sc (Hons)
Canine Action UK
Julia is founder of Canine Action UK and is also a member of the Canine and Feline Sector Group (CFSG) Sub Group, Breeding and Sale Coalition. Julia is an investigative researcher and campaigner on issues surrounding the commercial puppy trade. She is author of 'Licensed Third Party Puppy Vending in Great Britain.' (March 2016) and 'Evidence supporting the case for prohibiting the sale of dogs through licensed pet shops.' (2014)
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Emily Davies
TBA
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Lesley Field
Advisory Council on the Welfare Issues of Dog Breeding (DAC)
Lesley is the Joint Breed Health Co-ordinator of the 8 UK English Springer Spaniel Clubs, a past member of the Advisory Council on the Welfare Issues of Dog Breeding (DAC) and member of the Kennel Club. She has owned and bred English Springer Spaniels for well over 40 years. Lesley liaises on a day to day basis on both breed and general canine health and welfare issues with the general public, clinicians, researchers and professional bodies.
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Tania Ledger
Cavalier Matters
Tania is a business woman and currently Managing Director of her drinks vending machine company, Platino Limited. She acquired her two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Molly and Dougall, in 2008. Tania set up her Cavalier Matters Charity, website and online shop when she became aware of the genetic health problems of the Cavalier breed. Her website gives information and advice to owners of Cavaliers and Cavalier Matters Charity raises money for 'research, rescue and reform.' Tania assists with the project, the Cavalier Tissue Collection Scheme, which enables research into the common breed related diseases suffered by the CKCS breed.
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Dr Rowena Packer BSc (Hons) PhD
Royal Veterinary College
Rowena graduated from the University of Bristol in 2009 with a first class degree in Animal Behaviour and Welfare. She then completed her PhD in 2013 at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), investigating the relationship between extreme morphology and inherited disease in domestic dogs. Her PhD primarily focused on problems associated with the brachycephalic skull shape (respiratory and ophthalmic disease) and spinal disease in chondrodystrophic 'long and low' dog breeds. In 2013 she hosted 'Building Better Brachycephalics', an engagement event to disseminate this research. Since 2014 Rowena has work as a Clinical Investigations Postdoctoral Researcher at RVC, primarily focusing on canine epilepsy, working with Professor Holger Volk to investigate its treatment, behaviour comorbidities and effects on canine welfare. She is the current President of the RVC Researcher Association.
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Camilla Pegram
BVetMed MRes MRCVS
Working with the Royal Veterinary College Vet Compass Project Camilla graduated from the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) in 2015 and worked in first opinion small animal practice until 2017. She then returned to the RVC to complete a Master of Research degree in Companion Animal Epidemiology within the Vet Compass team. Camilla is now working on a Vet Compass project exploring disorders within dog breeds. The aim is to expand the evidence-base for breed related conditions and identify breed health related priorities in order to improve canine health and welfare. Camilla therefore has a strong interest in dog breed health which has led to her involvement with DBRG.
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Dr Peter Wedderburn BVMS Cert VR MRCVS
Pete the Vet
Pete qualified as a vet from Edinburgh University in 1985, and after a spell in mixed practice in Scotland, moved to Ireland in 1991, where he is partner in a four vet companion animal practice near Dublin. For the past decade, he has taken a strong interest in working in the media, with weekly national radio and television programmes in Ireland, as well as contributing to many print outlets (including his weekly Pet Subjects column in the Saturday Daily Telegraph, since 2008). Pet's website is www.petethevet.com and he runs a busy Facebook Page as 'Pete the Vet'.
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Stephen Charlton
Cockapoo Club of GB
Stephen and his wife Julia are breeders of Cockapoos and founders of the Cockapoo Club of GB.
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Advisors
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Vicki Betton B.A (Hons), PGDipIDM
PDSA
Vicki has worked at PDSA since 2006, initially establishing a national youth and community education programme, and now leading their Policy and Campaigns team, Vicki is Chair of the PDSA's Pet Wellbeing Task Force and a founding member of the Animal Welfare Education Alliance (AWEA). She represents PDSA on an number of other collaborative groups, including the Canine and Feline Sector Group (CFSG) sub-group for the Breeding and Sale of Dogs, the Associate Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare (APGAW) Dog Sub-Group and the Pet Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG)
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Professor Sheila Crispin
Former Chair of the Advisory Council on the Welfare Issues of Dog Breeding
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Andrew Gillon
Canine Health Schemes
Andrew has over 15 years experience working in animal welfare management, with extensive team management skills. His expertise lies in companion animal management and health, however he also has experience working with wildlife. Andrew currently works at the BVA managing the Canine Health Schemes and is working to progress the schemes and extend its reach to breeders, vets and the puppy buying public. Andrew is focused on increasing pet health standards and developing new ways for breeders to ensure pets are responsibly bred. Also that potential owners have the right information to make informed decisions and to purchase responsibly.
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Marisa Heath
Secretary, Associate Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare (APGAW)
Secretary, Canine and Feline Sector Group (CFSG) Liaison with the above groups |
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Gudrun Ravetz
President British Veterinary Association
Gudrun is a veterinary surgeon with a wide variety of experience in different areas of the veterinary profession. She is currently Junior Vice President of the British Veterinary Association and a Past President of the Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons.
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