Rayappan Cyril Roy

Graduate student studying: Welfare issues associated with the transport and slaughter of horses previously kept for recreation or sport

Project funded by the SJDAWC and the Animal Welfare Foundation of Canada

Research Background:

• Welfare assessments of working equines in developing countries.
• Animal welfare risk factor identification of working equines in India and development of strategies to mitigate them.
• Development of behavioural pain assessment protocols for equines.
• Dental problems in working equines and their influence on welfare.

Published work:

·         “The influence of dentition on the welfare of working equines” 2006 In the proceedings of the Fifth International Colloquium on Working Equines.

·          “Development of wither wounds in Brick Kiln pack animals” 2006 In the proceedings of the Fifth International Colloquium on Working Equines.

·          “Dental problems in working Equines” 2002 In the proceedings of Fourth International Colloquium on Working Equines.

Professional background:

• Bachelors in Veterinary Sciences from Madras Veterinary College, Tamilnadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, India. 1995
• MSc in ‘Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare’ from University of Edinburgh, UK. 2008. Thesis title: Assessing the efficacy of a behavioural pain assessment tool in working donkeys suffering from chronic injuries.

Scholarships and awards:

• UFAW Vocational Research Scholarship award 2008
• The J.N TATA Endowment Scholarship 2007
• William Dickson Travel Fund 2008
• Roger and Sarah Bancroft Clark Charitable trust Scholarship 2008

Previous employment

1995–2000: Worked in various capacities starting as a resident and transportation veterinarian and promoted to chief veterinary officer of Divyug Agricultural and Stud Farm Pvt Lt, Gurgoan, Haryana, India in 1998.

2000-2005: Worked as a Senior Veterinary Officer, in charge of a mobile veterinary unit providing veterinary care for working equines in a collaborative project of Friendicoes SECA/ The Brooke Hospital for Animals, UK.

2005-2009: Worked as a Risk Assessment Officer for identifying and rectifying welfare problems for working equines in India for The Brooke Hospital for Animals, UK.