Pathobiology professor Patricia Turner is the 2014 recipient of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association’s (CVMA) Humane Award. It was presented in July during the CVMA annual conference in St. John’s, Nfld.

A professor at the Ontario Veterinary College since 2002, Turner is recognized internationally for her work to improve the lives of animals used in research, both by developing ways to reduce pain and stress and by improving training for veterinarians in laboratory animal medicine.

In addition to teaching and research, she has worked extensively with veterinary medicine associations devoted to laboratory animal medicine and welfare. She has played a key role in shaping polices that positively affect the lives of animals through her work on the Canadian Council on Animal Care, which oversees the standards for animal care in Canada, on the CVMA Animal Welfare Committee and on U of G’s Animal Care Committee.

Turner led the creation of the University’s distance learning certificate program in laboratory animal medicine for veterinarians, which has been well-received outside of North America and offers opportunities for veterinarians to increase their knowledge base and skill set.

Recently she collaborated Kathryn Bayne, global director of the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International, on a new textbook titled Laboratory Animal Welfare.