Back on Top: OVC’s Winning Streak in Animal Welfare Continues

Each year, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) organizes an Intercollegiate Animal Welfare Assessment Competition. During this international event, participants compete to showcase their knowledge and practical skills in animal welfare. Last semester’s competition hosted at the University of Wisconsin brought together over 200 practicing veterinarians as well as undergraduate, DVM and graduate students from varied disciplines, highlighting interdisciplinary learning and collaboration. While students from the University of Guelph have been participating since the contest’s beginning in 2002, the earliest recorded involvement from the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) dates to 2008. OVC has continued this tradition of excellence, achieving remarkable success this year.

The OVC Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) team secured second place in the overall team division, while the University of Guelph (U of G) graduate student team earned first place in the live team assessment and overall team divisions. Additionally, third place in the individual graduate student category was awarded to Anna Nicklas, a PhD student in U of G’s Department of Animal Biosciences. These accomplishments highlight the strength of U of G’s academics and the dedication of its students, reaffirming its international reputation as a leader in veterinary medicine and animal welfare science.

One student from each of the undergraduate, DVM and graduate student teams reflects on their experiences during the competition. These entries not only highlight the hard work and preparation that students undertake in addition to their current program of study but also provide a personal glimpse into what the contest meant to them.

Day 1: Sammi Luk, OVC DVM Team Member

On Friday, early in the morning of the first competition day, I was filled with anticipation as we carpooled to the airport. Over the past few months, we attended evening training sessions, held lunchtime and evening team meetings, conducted our own research and broadened our understanding by visiting actual dog-breeding facilities and compost-bedded pack dairy barns. As I watched the planes depart and land at Pearson airport from the car window, I couldn’t believe it was time to finally put my skills to the test. The journey to Wisconsin was long but enjoyable, giving us time to prepare further as a team and connect with the other participants. We shared our excitement for animal welfare and discussed what to expect upon arrival at the competition. Despite all the preparation, I still felt a mix of nerves and excitement, knowing we were ready for the competition, but unsure of what the specific scenarios would entail. That night, my team and I worked on last-minute adjustments to our literature factsheet—hunched over our computers and focused on every detail. As I went to bed, I felt a surge of excitement for the competition ahead: tomorrow was Saturday. We would travel to a real, working dairy farm to assess the welfare of their lactating dairy cattle as a team and later deliver our reasons for our assessment in an oral presentation. Then, as soon as we had a moment to breathe, we would dive into the individual, virtual welfare assessments on Sunday, where I would assess three species individually and give an oral presentation defending each assessment. Thinking ahead to tomorrow’s events felt daunting at first. Although, I reasoned that this experience would be invaluable; it would reinforce my passion for animal welfare and further my ability to incorporate these insights into my future practice, no matter which field I specialize in. I fell asleep, excited for what lay ahead.

Day 2: Andrea Luis-Gaudet, U of G Undergraduate Team Member

It’s Saturday morning. At 7 a.m. My phone alarm blares, and one by one, my teammates and I groggily get out of bed, readying ourselves for the big day ahead. Over a quick breakfast, we chat nervously, our energy a mix of excitement and anticipation. As we head to the University of Wisconsin—River Falls, the weight of the day starts to set in. Today is the day of our interactive team assessment at the Dairy Learning Centre. It’s a test of the teamwork skills we’ve honed all semester and our ability to perform under pressure. The day kicks off with a briefing in the conference hall, where we listen intently to the instructions. We then met with our coaches, Dr. Tina Widowski, professor in U of G’s Department of Animal Biosciences, and Dr. Derek Haley, associate professor in OVC’s Department of Population Medicine. They lead us to the room where we’ll be presenting later, giving us a chance to visualize our speech and mentally prepare. Our team was randomly chosen to visit the dairy farm earlier in the day, and before we knew it, we were suited up in PPE—blue bodysuits, boot covers, masks, and goggles—and boarding a bus with the other teams in our cohort. The ten-minute ride to the farm is tense, filled with whispered strategies and last-minute planning. Once at the farm, we’re handed clipboards and information packages about the dairy herd. The live assessment is intense and crammed into 20 minutes, split into five-minute rotations at different locations across a working dairy farm. We can’t speak to each other during the viewing, so we have to trust in the coordination we’ve practiced. The viewing ends as quickly as it begins, and we’re peeling off our PPE and hurrying back to the University to begin writing our speech. Time moves fast—40 minutes to draft, edit, and finalize. By the time we climb the stairs to present, we’re breathless, but ready. Standing in front of the judges, we give it our all, and ten minutes later, it’s over. A wave of relief washes over me as we leave the room. Despite the pressure and the chaos, we finished strong, and I couldn’t be prouder of our team. The rest of the day is a whirlwind of conversations about the morning’s events. We reflect on how everything unfolded and celebrate our successes. Day one of the contest is already over, and while I’m still nervous about the individual assessments ahead, I feel more confident. Today showed me that we can rise to the challenge and deliver results that we will forever be proud of.

Day 3: Fiona Tubman, U of G Graduate Student Team

With the live team assessment behind us, I was looking forward to beginning the individual, virtual assessments to end the competition. Arriving at the conference hall on Sunday morning was an intimidating experience. Seeing all the teams gathered together heightened my nerves, but I couldn’t ignore the excitement bubbling underneath. When the contest started and the scenarios were introduced, time seemed to fly by. There were two scenarios presented for each species: Xenopus frogs in laboratories, African penguins in zoos and commercial dog breeding facilities. We were given information on everything from their housing and nutrition to their human interactions, and the welfare assessment began. Everything moved so quickly—it felt like I had to make split-second decisions about which scenario provided animals with the best welfare. After we had decided on our placements, we started to get ready for the presentations. It was nerve-wracking, especially for the first scenario, as time felt especially tight. Thankfully, our coaches were there to support us, making sure we had everything we needed—our identification cards, room assignments and a clear order of the scenarios so we could prioritize our efforts. The first presentation was the scariest hurdle to jump, but as the day progressed, I felt myself improving. With each scenario, I had more time to prepare, felt more comfortable presenting in front of the judges, and gained confidence in the process. When the presentations were over, I was finally able to relax and reflect with my teammates on how we performed. The anticipation built as we waited for the awards ceremony, and when our team’s name was called for both awards, the excitement was incredible. It was undoubtedly the highlight of the weekend. Winning was amazing, but more than that, I felt so proud of what I had accomplished—building my confidence, improving my presentation skills, and contributing to the team’s success. I’m grateful for the friendships we formed and for the opportunity to represent our school in such a meaningful competition.

U of G and OVC’s involvement in the Animal Welfare Assessment Contest wouldn’t be possible without the support of the Saputo Dairy Care Program, Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare, Ontario Agricultural College Learning Trust, and the AVMA, who provided financial support for students to travel and compete in this contest. The 2024 Animal Welfare Judging team would also like to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of our coaches, Dr. Derek Haley, Dr. Tina Widowski, and U of G PhD student, Lydia Conrad. Our coaches truly honored the legacy of professor emeritus Dr. Ian Duncan, whose vision and commitment laid the foundation for U of G’s involvement in this competition. From its beginning in 2002, Dr. Ian Duncan was instrumental in leading U of G teams, with Drs. Tina Widowski, and Derek Haley joining the effort in 2008 and 2009, respectively.

“We encourage future students to consider participating in this incredible experience,” says Haley. “This contest is not just an academic exercise; it transforms classroom knowledge into practical application. It takes what we teach in the classroom to a different level. Many students who have participated have gone on to pursue impactful careers in animal welfare, including roles within the livestock industry. We are so proud of our teams’ accomplishments and are excited to see how this experience will shape their futures and contribute to the broader field of animal welfare.”

Are you a U of G student who is interested in animal welfare? Consider competing in the next competition taking place November 2025 or take one of U of G’s closely related undergraduate courses, ANSC*4010, which provides students with the tools to offer practical insights into animal welfare. Undergraduate and graduate students can informally ‘audit’ the course to enhance their skills prior to competing later in the year, too! If you’re interested, please connect with Dr. Derek Haley (dhaley@uoguelph.ca).