CHRIS LAURENCE, Dogs Trust’s Veterinary Director, has been awarded an MBE by The Queen for his outstanding services to animal welfare in her Birthday Honours awards.

Chris Laurence has a long and distinguished career working with animals after studying Veterinary Science at Bristol University. He qualified as a veterinary surgeon in 1968 and worked as a vet until 1998 when he joined the RSPCA as Chief Veterinary Officer.

Mr Laurence left the RSPCA in 2003 to take up the post of Veterinary Director for Dogs Trust. Although this primarily focuses his work on dogs he retains an interest in other species and is a Trustee of the Feline Advisory Bureau. He continues to be asked to speak on animal welfare issues to a variety of audiences and the media in the UK and abroad.

Mr Laurence has been a regional officer of BSAVA, and is Secretary of the Central Division of BVA. He has been President of the BVHA for two years ending in October 2003 and is a Council member of the Society of Greyhound Veterinarians. He was an officer in the Territorial Army for almost 38 years and retired in 2002 with the rank of Colonel. He was awarded the Queen’s Volunteer Reserves Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2002.