Animal welfare issues feature highly on new president’s agenda.

Equine veterinary surgeon Dr Esther Skelly-Smith has been elected as joint president of the Northern Ireland branch of the British Veterinary Association (BVA) and the North of Ireland Veterinary Association (NIVA).

Dr Skelly-Smith was elected president at the two associations joint AGM on Wednesday 22 February. She succeeds Fiona McFarland who has moved to the role of senior vice-president of both associations.

After graduating from the University of Nottingham in 2012, Dr Skelly-Smith interned at the Animal Health Trust in Newmarket. She then went on to establish Shanaghan Veterinary Services in 2017, and is currently an honorary lecturer with Queen’s University Belfast.

Dr Skelly-Smith also holds a number of other notable positions in the agriculture and equine sectors, including equine expert on the college advisory group for the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise, and the Northern Ireland representative on the UK Notifiable Equine Diseases Core Group.

Commenting on her appointment, Dr Skelly-Smith said: “I look forward to the year ahead. The veterinary profession in Northern Ireland continues to face challenges from long-term access to vital veterinary medicines and the evolving role vets play in trade following Brexit through to workforce shortages and future sustainability of the profession.

“However, there are also exciting opportunities and I’m keen to explore the role wellbeing and positive working relationships can have in delivering a veterinary profession that is fit for the future. I also hope to engage with the government to progress a strategic plan for the equestrian industry and improvements in equine welfare.”

“As a profession we are key stewards of animal welfare. Unlike people, animals do not have a voice; yet they deserve to be understood and have their rights preserved and advocated for. It will therefore be no surprise that animal welfare issues will feature highly on the agenda this year.”

BVA president Malcolm Morley said: “Esther’s years of experience and dedication to the veterinary profession means she is a real asset to both BVA and NIVA. There are challenging times ahead as we continue to resolve many of the issues still arising from Brexit. Esther has worked with the officer team in Northern Ireland to campaign and lobby for the issues that matter most to vets in Northern Ireland and there is more work still required to protect the future supply of veterinary medicines in Northern Ireland, but I know she is going to make a real difference and achieve great things.”

Image (C) BVA