Animal Action Award Winners 2008

On 14th October, as part of IFAW’s Animal Action Week, twelve animal heroes, including one dog, were honoured for their achievements on behalf of animal and people. The winners came from all over the UK, and one all the way from Cameroon, to attend the ninth Animal Action Awards Ceremony, in conjunction with the People newspaper.

The ceremony was hosted by Baroness Gale at the House of Lords and presented by IFAW patron, actress and model Lisa B. This year’s awards honoured those who have set up rescue centres and sanctuaries for domestic and wild animals, as well as those who are also helping humans such as cheering up hospital patients with a visit from a friendly pet, or helping the elderly and disabled who would not be able to enjoy the companionship of their pets without help. The awards also recognised individuals campaigning for a better world for animals like the battery hen, and marine wildlife threatened by plastic rubbish which is choking our seas. “These are very special awards and it is great to be able to recognise so many deserved heroes,” said IFAW UK Director, Robbie Marsland. “I hope this will inspire other people across the entire UK to help animals in need.”

The final award winners were:

VET OF THE YEAR: EMMA MILNE, TV vet from BBC’s Vets in Practice was a key figure in the campaign to end tail docking in dogs in the UK and wrote the Truth About Cats and Dogs, highlighting increasing health problems with pedigree dogs and cats. As a practising vet, she also took a recent tour of IFAW-funded animal clinics in South African townships.

WILDLIFE RESCUE AWARD: SERENA STEVENS runs the Oak and Furrows Wildlife Rescue Centre in Cirencester, established in memory of her daughter Millie, which receives thousands of calls a year to help sick, injured and orphaned wildlife.

ANIMAL WELFARE CARER AWARD: LIZ WALSH is a Blue Cross Community vet nurse, visiting the elderly, sick and disabled to provide essential veterinary treatment for their pets. Liz’s clients have nicknamed her a ‘guardian angel’ for looking after animals and their human owners.

ANIMAL RESCUE AWARD: BOB WHITTALL runs the Northern Staffordshire Bull Terrier Rescue organisation in Cumbria, providing home for strays and abandoned dogs as well as rescuing bull terriers from situations of cruelty and neglect.

MARINE CONSERVATION AWARD: After seeing first hand the damage plastic rubbish can do to the beaches and wildlife of a remote Hawaii island, wildlife film-maker REBECCA HOSKING successfully persuaded her home town in Modbury, Devon to become the first plastic bag free town in Britain.

INTERNATIONAL ANIMAL WELFARE AWARD: RACHEL HOGAN has dedicated her life to raising orphaned gorillas, chimps and other primates in Africa. She manages the Mefou National Park in Cameroon for the UK charity Cameroon Wildlife Aid Fund, caring for orphans whose parents have been killed for the bushmeat trade.

YOUNG ANIMAL WELFARE AWARD: After personally receiving the benefit of a Pets as Therapy (PAT) dog visit whilst in hospital, JESS THOMAS registered her own pet Jody as a PAT dog and now regularly visits patients at Birmingham Children’s Hospital.

LIFETIME DEDICATION AWARD: BARBY KEEL has been looking after unwanted, hungry, abandoned and neglected animals since 1971 at the Barby Keel Animal Sanctuary in Bexhill, Sussex. She now shares her home with over 500 animals.

ANIMAL OF THE YEAR AWARD: Rescue dog MANDY has saved the life of her owner Peter Wilson twice: alerting him to a serious fire at the rescue centre and last year taking back rescuers to the fells, where Peter had collapsed after a heart attack during a walk.

CAMPAIGNER OF THE YEAR AWARD: Awarded to three individuals: awarded to JAMIE OLIVER and HUGH FEARNLEY WHITTINGSTALL for their TV campaign to expose the horrific welfare conditions of battery farmed chickens and to persuade the British public to choose free range. JANE HOWORTH, founder of the Battery Hen Welfare Trust also receives the award. Her work is the driving force behind the campaign and she has now rescued over one hundred thousand battery hens from slaughter.