Social media influencer Cat the Vet joins judging panel of BVA Veterinary Photographer of the Year
The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has today announced that vet and social media influencer Cat Henstridge, known by her thousands of followers as ‘Cat the Vet’, is joining the judging panel of this year’s BVA Veterinary Photographer of the Year competition, sponsored by iM3 Dental*.
Cat the Vet is best known for her television appearances, passionate posts about animal welfare and quips about her life as a vet on social media platforms Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. She will join fellow judges including BVA President Malcolm Morley and iM3 Sales Manager Sue Emmerton to choose the finalists and winner of the popular competition, now in its eighth year.
The competition is open to all BVA Members and aims to showcase the life of members, their day-to-day lives and work, and their bonds with animals.
Cat, a small animal vet and BVA member, said: “Being a vet means we encounter so many different animals – and humans – every day, whether that’s for annual vaccinations or being at their side to help them through their hardest times. The BVA Veterinary Photographer of the Year competition always generates such incredible images and I know the new category Vets at work will show veterinary professionals at their best, their skills and kindness, as they care for their clients.
“Being able to just whip out a smartphone and capture an amazing image has really widened up the competition – you don’t need to be a semi-professional or have a fancy camera to submit an entry, we want to see images from everyone taken on any device.”
Brand new for this year, is the ‘People’s Choice’ award, which has been created to give delegates the chance to vote for their favourite image from the judges' shortlist. Members will be able to make their choice at BVA Live in May, with the ‘People’s Choice’ winner being announced in the weeks following the event.
There is less than a month left to enter the competition, which has the following categories:
- Vets at work
- What does life as a veterinary surgeon look like? Capturing the day-to-day life of a vet and the veterinary team in any capacity.
- All creatures great and small
- An opportunity to explore the vast diversity of the animal kingdom: domestic, agricultural and all aspects of wildlife
- Happy pets that make us smile
- Reflecting the joy of a happy, contented animal
BVA President Malcolm Morley said: “It’s fantastic to have Cat the Vet on board for this year’s photo competition. As a vet herself she understands just how challenging and rewarding life as a veterinary surgeon can be, and I think this will shine through in the images she shortlists, particularly in the Vets at work category.
“For the first time ever, we also want BVA Live delegates to choose their favourite images from our shortlisted entries, so do come to our BVA Live stand and take the opportunity to vote for your favourite to give them a chance to win.”
Finalists chosen by judges from the three main categories will displayed at this year’s BVA Live event, which is held by BVA and the organisers of the London Vet Show, CloserStill Media (CSM), at Birmingham’s NEC on 11 – 12 May 2023. Finalists will be contacted in advance and receive a complimentary ticket to BVA Live so they can attend the event and the prizegiving to reveal the winners. Winning photos will also be eligible for £250 worth of John Lewis vouchers. The competition is open to all BVA members and membership must be active at the time of entering. The closing date is 5pm on Sunday 12 March 2023.
Find out more and submit your entry via the BVA website: www.bva.co.uk/photo-comp
