This Wednesday the VI edition of the Animal Welfare Awards organized by the College of Veterinarians of Madrid (COLVEMA) took place, awards of national relevance that were born in 2015 for recognize the work of those who work to promote the welfare and quality of life of animals and that each year they also reward an exceptional animal.
“The objective of the awards that we present today fulfills a double task: to recognize and encourage the work of institutions, companies and people in encourage the animal welfare and improve the quality of life of animals and also that of highlight and spread the important role that animals play in improving the quality of life of citizens”, explained Felipe Vilas, president of COLVEMA, in his opening speech.
In this edition, which has been conducted by the chief editor of 20minutos and section coordinator Animaleros Melissa Yours, the winners have been Father Ángel, prize for the person committed to animal welfare, the veterinarians who rescued the animals from the La Palma volcano, and the Xabat guide dog.
“It is an animal out of the ordinary, with an extraordinary sensitivity,” said his trainer at the ONCE Foundation Guide Dog, Elisenda Stewart. East three year old black labradorwho spent more time than usual in the hands of his educational family due to the pandemic, is now the companion with whom he takes long walks through Teruel Alberto Villalba, a young man whose life was changed by the explosion of a Civil War artifact. Is about the first time in the world that a dog is able to adapt and give autonomy to a blind person without hands.
The prize that corresponds to the company or institution has gone to the veterinarians of The Palmwhat after the eruption a year ago of the volcano of Old Summit they carried out months of work in a situation of unprecedented risk. Almost 4,000 animals saved their lives thanks to them.
The award was presented by Isabel Rodríguez Hurtado, dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the Alfonso X el Sabio University. she picked it up the president of the College of Veterinarians of Tenerife, Marisa Fernández Miguel, representing the entire veterinary profession on the islands and, especially, the veterinarians of La Palma. In his speech, Fernández recalled the help provided by veterinarians from all over Spain to deal with this emergency, which lasted for half a year: “This mention touches our soul. This would not have been possible without the dedication of the 130 fellow veterinarians and the solidarity of the rest of the veterinarians in Spain and of 28 professional associations”.
After your words, Marisa Fernández invited Felipe Vilas to the stage and gave him a vestthe same one carried by the veterinarians of La Palma, to represent all the colleagues who helped them from a distance.
The recognition of the person committed to the welfare and care of animals has gone in this edition to father angellover of animals whom he considers a balm against loneliness and always receives with blessings, especially on Saint Antón’s day.
He collected the statuette from the president of the Official College of Veterinarians of Madrid, an award that, according to Father Ángel, “will be on the altar of the Church of San Antón, his place”, to later claim that we live in a society “full of values”, something that he defended can be seen in the treatment of many towards their animals.
The event was closed by Rafael Languens, president of the World Veterinary Association, who ended with the suggestion that “perhaps these awards deserve a prize”. He also participated in the closing ‘En clave de mu’, the choir of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the Complutense University of Madrid.