This award is presented for contributions to the advancement of small animal medicine by a qualified veterinarian. This means all aspects of medicine, including but not limited to, internal medicine, cardiology, dermatology, oncology and medical aspects of neurology, ophthalmology, diagnostic imaging and exotics (NTCA).
2026 Winner
Dr Madonna Livingstone BVMS MRCVS
The Woodrow Award goes to Dr Madonna Livingstone for her exceptional dedication to caring for small animals and exotics, particularly those with complex needs. Madonna’s commitment to improving the welfare of often overlooked species has transformed the lives of countless animals. Madonna is currently Head Vet and Head of Exotics at the Ark Veterinary Clinics Ltd, Coatbridge, Scotland. She speaks widely on exotic animal medicine and surgery to Vets and Veterinary nurses via in person conferences, webinars, and bespoke in-house CPD.
Full Biography
Known as the practice geek, Madonna qualified from Glasgow Vet School in 2002 and is Head Vet and Head of Exotics at the Ark Veterinary Clinics Ltd, Coatbridge, Scotland with a 80% exotics case load. Madonna delivered all the clinical practical’s and clinical exotic lectures for Glasgow Vet School for seven years, and is the clinical lead for the Final Year selective Exotics rotation for Glasgow Vet School.
She is the exotics consultant for Nation Wide Laboratories and Medivet Labs Ltd, has a diploma in parrot behaviour, has been published on rabbits, reptiles, parrots, ferrets in peer reviewed journals and is sole author of a textbook on rabbits and small exotic mammals (Exotics Made Easy: Demystifying Rabbits and Small Exotic Mammals), is currently co-authoring a pictorial guide to rabbit and small exotic mammal surgery and is in the planning stages of writing the follow up Exotics Made Easy textbook on reptiles.
Madonna speaks widely on exotic animal medicine and surgery to Vets and Veterinary nurses via in person conferences, webinars, and bespoke in-house CPD. She has also spoken at the Scottish Parrot Society, Beloved Rabbits Charity events, and the International Herpetological Society to owners and enthusiasts.
She has a firm belief that all species deserve the same high level of care and is passionate about empowering veterinary professionals to incorporate these amazing species into their caseload. Although her main interest is in exotic animal species, she also enjoys soft tissue surgery, pain management, and behaviour of all species.
Madonna was awarded with the prestigious UK Rabbit Vet of the Year Award (2022) by Burgess and the Rabbit Welfare and Association Fund (RWAF) and the External Lecturer of the Year Award (2022, 2023, and 2024) by Glasgow Vet School students.
Madonna also sits on the Parrot Awareness Week Committee and National Ferret Welfare Society Veterinary Subcommittee.
When not working, Madonna can be found spending time with her husband, her three dogs, 8 chickens, 3 ferrets, 4 cockatiels, 1 Galah, three giant African land snails, and nine dwarf puffer fish.