This award, in memory of Ray Butcher, President of the BSAVA between 1993 – 1994, celebrates the hard work and achievements of those ‘unsung heroes’ who are making a significant contribution to animal welfare in the community.
2026 Winner
Dr Rowena Packer MA BSc (Hons) PhD PGCert(VetEd) FHEA
Dr Rowena Packer was nominated for this award for her outstanding contribution to canine welfare science and her leadership in addressing major welfare challenges. Rowena’s influential research on epilepsy, brachycephaly, and the Pandemic Puppy phenomenon has shaped veterinary understanding and public attitudes in the UK and beyond. She is a founding member of Brachycephalic Working Group and the Legal Advisory Group on Extreme Conformation in Dogs and currently is a companion animal behaviour and welfare scientist who leads a research group at the Royal Veterinary College exploring endemic and emerging topics in this area.
Full Biography
Rowena is a companion animal behaviour and welfare scientist who leads a research group at the Royal Veterinary College exploring endemic and emerging topics in this area. She has received >£2 million of research funding and published >100 peer reviewed papers and book chapters. Rowena holds a PhD from the Royal Veterinary College (2013) which explored the impact of extreme conformation on canine health, results of which have gone on to influence international animal welfare legislation. In 2021 she co-edited the textbook ‘Health and Welfare of Brachycephalic (Flat-faced) Companion Animals’ (2021). Rowena is a founding member of Brachycephalic Working Group and the Legal Advisory Group on Extreme Conformation in Dogs.