PetSavers awards £40k to vet schools
The grant of £40k to vet schools is a first for PetSavers.
As PetSavers celebrates its 40th birthday, outgoing BSAVA president Michael Day has announced the charity will award £40,000 to the UK's veterinary schools.
This award is a first for PetSavers. Speaking at BSAVA Congress today, chairman of the grant awarding committee Derek Attride said it is "a great opportunity for young, committed and enthusiastic vet students and vet nurses."
It is a reflection of the charity's commitment to "ensuring first-class research into small companion animal diseases continues in the future," he added.
Professor Day explained that £5,000 will be granted to each of the UK's seven vet schools, and the remainder will be awarded to veterinary nurses who successfully apply for funding.
The award offers young vet and nursing students the opportunity to work on a companion animal clinical research project.
PetSavers has been funding veterinary research projects for 40 years. To date, the charity has awarded £2 million to clinical research and training programmes.
Mr Attride said this has led to "some key scientific breakthroughs into the prevention, treatment ad cure of small companion diseases."
The closing date for students to apply for funding is August 1, 2014 and the successful applicants will be announced in December. Each university can submit five applications and projects must be completed and written up by December 2015.
Applications can be made via the BSAVA website, by emailing grantstudyadvice@bsava.com or phoning 01452 726723.
Veterinary practices are being urged to help owners safely dispose of any unused and expired pet medicines - not just antibiotics - during November's Animal Medicines Amnesty. 
