Unsung Heroes 2024 & Philippa Robinson Dog Welfare Award

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Every year the All-Party Parliamentary Dog Advisory Welfare Group (APDAWG) hosts a unique event to provide a platform for campaigners & lesser-known orgs to help celebrate & spread awareness of the wonderful work they're doing, often with minimal resources, for both dog & human welfare.

On arrival, please enter via Cromwell Green Entrance no later than 5pm to ensure you get through security & up to Committee Room 11 with plenty of time. Tell security you're attending the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Dog Welfare's Unsung Heroes Event. Bring photo ID just in case (unlikely you'll be asked). Full map here.

On this special evening we will also present APDAWG's Philippa Robinson Dog Welfare Award to someone who's gone over & above to campaign for & promote dog welfare.

Guest speakers confirmed (so far):

Dr Dan O'Neill (RVC, VetCompass, Brachycephalic Working Group)

After graduating from Dublin Vet School, Dan worked in general practice for 22 years. In 2009, he undertook an MSc & then a PhD in vet epidemiology at Royal Vet College (RVC). His PhD was supported by RSPCA & developed the 'VetCompass' project collecting primary-care vet clinical data to generate evidence on breed health in dogs. Dan was appointed as Senior Lecturer in Companion Animal Epidemiology in Sept 2017, where he co-leads 'VetCompass' as a research tool for a wide range of welfare-related studies & teaching resource for large numbers of vet students. Dan also chairs the UK Brachycephalic Working Group & is a founding member of the International Collaborative on Extreme Conformations in Dogs & of the Dog Breeding Reform Group. 

Bige Orer (Four-Legged City, 'Rescue My Companion', Turkey) 

Turkey-based 'The Four-Legged City' have "rolled up their sleeves" to protect, save & keep alive every single animal against those who are trying to legalise the massacre. They are calling on everyone  against the slaughter of animals to support their 'Rescue My Companion' campaign; primarily trying to reach street dogs at risk of being culled. Thanks to their extensive volunteer network in different provinces & districts, Four-Legged City sterilise, vaccinate & identify animals they reach & place them in temporary/permanent homes to ensure they stay in safe areas. 

Alison Gibson-Stark (Yellow Dog UK)

The Swedish International Gulahund 'Yellow Dog' programme was launched in June 2012 by Eva Oliversson, a certified international dog behaviourist & trainer. Having had Yellow Dogs herself, Alison Gibson-Stark decided to take on the role of UK Ambassador of Gulahund & Yellow Dog UK was born!  Alison knows how stressful it can be for a Yellow Dog &its owner when a social or off-lead dog approaches & believes that making the Yellow Ribbon an accepted representation throughout the UK will benefit everyone, making dog walking more enjoyable & safer experience for all, in turn giving your dog a better quality of life; educating owners/public to understand & recognise a dog who ‘needs space’.

Linda Goodman (Woofability World)

Linda Goodman is an award-winning copywriter, animal welfare campaigner & more recently, an award-winning sci-fi novelist. Her latest joint venture is a specialist resource website, 'Woofability' for dog lovers with senior dogs, disabled dogs & dogs with health issues or who are post-surgery. Linda's love of dogs & commitment to dog welfare in the form of her C.A.R.I.A.D. campaign, helped lead to a change in the law banning the sale of puppies in pet shops & by third parties known as 'Lucy’s Law'. 'Woofability' is a resource-driven covers virtually every aspect of caring for a dog that is either in their senior years, or has a medical condition or disability. 

Clara Hewson (Muzzle Movement)

After completing her Masters in Clinical Animal Behaviour, Clara Hewson worked for the UK's largest Animal welfare org as Senior Training & Behaviour advisor, unable to find a muzzle suitable for dogs she was working closely alongside in rescue, or for her own dog Tolly, with a bite history. In April 2022, Clara founded 'The Muzzle Movement', with a strong mission to not only provide dogs with access to muzzles designed with welfare at the forefront, but to spearhead a campaign to raise awareness for muzzled dogs & their guardians, plus shake outdated assumptions that dogs wearing muzzles were ‘dangerous’ or ‘bad’. Since launch, 'The Muzzle Movement' has provided over 20,000 dogs with access to safe, ethical muzzles designed to ensure they were still able to do everything they could do previously whilst keeping them & others safe.  

Cassandra Carney (Broken Biscuits)

Every year thousands of dogs across the UK lose their mobility due to injury, illness or congenital condition. For the last 14 years Broken Biscuits have been giving dogs back their run. Working with vets to educate the wider community about the possibilities of life post injury, with the right care & equipment. Just like with disabled humans, a life changing injury or illness need not be a life-ending one. Broken Biscuits work to promote the many options available to treat & rehabilitate injured animals, restoring their mobility so that they can return to healthy, active lives.

Hilde Tudora (Head of Animal Welfare, Ilfov County Council, Romania)

Hilde was a political journalist for 6 years whilst bringing to light problems from the animal welfare world, incl. stray dogs adopted from Romania. As a head of Animal Welfare Departament at Ilfov County Council Hilde implemented one of the most beautiful & world famous adoption campaigns namely - „Umple golul din viața ta”, where football players from the 1st League entered the official games with dogs available for adoption in their arms. Hilde & her colleagues also work with schools to change mentalities & explain to people that all beings deserve respect.  

Lisa Lewis & Rose Downey (Don't Ban Me, Licence Me)

Following the government's announcement to ban XL bully dogs, a group of passionate volunteers launched 'Don't Ban Me, Licence Me' to cut through misinformation, support dog owners & fight for fair legislation. They seized the opportunity to challenge the government’s decision through a Judicial Review - a legal process scrutinising whether proper procedures were followed, raising over £200,000 along the way. 'Don't Ban Me, Licence Me' held the government to account & no matter the outcome of the court case, they hope they've made an impact on how the public view breed bans.

This inspiring evening will be followed by an informal drinks & food networking event in a nearby bar genererously sponsored, once again, by Agria Pet Insurance.