AVC’s Dr. Norma Guy Recognized Nationally for Contributions to Animal Welfare

The 2008 Canadian Veterinary Medical Association’s (CVMA) Humane Award was presented to Dr. Norma Guy, Animal Behaviourist with the Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC) at the University of Prince Edward Island during the CVMA annual meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia on July 29.

The national award is presented annually to an individual whose work is determined to have contributed significantly to the welfare and well-being of animals.

Dr. Guy (DVM, MSC) is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Companion Animals at AVC and runs the Animal Behaviour Service at the AVC Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Dr. Guy developed the innovative AVC humane dog training program with the PEI Humane Society, is in her third term as President of the Board of Directors of the PEI Humane Society, and is a regular contributor to CBC Radio through her popular segment, How & Why with Dr. Guy.

“Dr. Guy has contributed greatly to the welfare of both owned and unowned companion animals through teaching of veterinary students, continuing education for veterinarians, and numerous non-technical presentations for pet owners on matters of companion animal behaviour,” says Dr. Alice Crook, Coordinator of the Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Centre and nominator of Dr. Guy’s award.

“Dr. Guy is passionate about improving the lives of animals, both through the use of humane training methods, and by addressing behaviour problems to improve owner satisfaction with their pets, thereby decreasing relinquishment of pets.”

Dr. Guy initiated the AVC humane dog training program at the PEI Humane Society in 2001. It has been highly successful, with hundreds of dogs passing through the program over the past seven years. The objectives of the program include improving the quality of life for dogs being held for adoption, and increasing the basic level of dog behaviour knowledge and training skills of AVC students and the humane society staff.

“Dr. Guy has made a significant and far-reaching impact on animal welfare through her untiring commitment to teaching, establishing programs to benefit companion animals, volunteering with the PEI Humane Society, and research into animal behaviour,” says Dr. Tim Ogilvie, AVC Dean. “We are very proud of Norma’s many achievements and congratulate her on this well deserved honour.”

The AtlanticVeterinaryCollege at UPEI is committed to excellence and innovation in education, research, and professional services. The college is known around the world for its outstanding educational programs, aggressive research agenda, and being home to more than a dozen specialized research centres that range from veterinary epidemiological research to aquatic health. The AtlanticVeterinaryCollege's Veterinary Teaching Hospital is the only full service referral hospital in Atlantic Canada.

Dr. Guy’s Award Citation

Dr. Norma Guy graduated from the OntarioVeterinaryCollege in 1988. Following many years in companion animals practice, Dr. Guy completed her MSc degree with distinction at the Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC) in 1999, specializing in animal behaviour. She is currently Assistant Professor at AVC and since 1998, has run the Animal Behaviour Service at the AVC Veterinary Teaching Hospital.

In 2001, Dr. Guy developed the innovative AVC Humane Dog Training Program, which operates at the PEI Humane Society (PEIHS) and has enriched the lives of hundreds of dogs since its inception. This program gives AVC students hands-on knowledge of shelter issues and experience working with shelter dogs and their new owners. Dr. Guy has been a member of the Board of Directors of the PEIHS since 2003 and is currently in her third term as President of the Society. In 2007, she led an inspection team on behalf of the PEIHS for the traveling exotic animal circus. Dr. Guy was the lead author of the resulting report, which included recommendations for changes to provincial legislation. The province is currently drafting changes to the regulations for traveling circuses as a result of this report. She has a regular spot on the local CBC Radio station called “How & Why with Dr. Guy” which provides pet owners with information so they can deal with behaviour issues more humanely and effectively. Dr. Guy is in high demand as a speaker with a wide range of audiences including veterinary students, veterinarians, humane organizations and various community groups. In addition to her many academic articles, she has written many non-technical articles for pet owners to help them understand and better manage common problems in their pets. Dr. Guy continues to make a direct impact on the welfare of owned and unowned animals through her innovative dog training program, behaviour consultations with pet owners, CE for veterinarians, and extensive teaching of veterinary students.

Charlotte McCardle or Trina Paquet
cmccardle@upei.ca; tpaquet@upei.ca