ORLANDO Feb. 4, 2020 Alley Cat Allies president and founder Becky Robinson has honored Dr. Bob Weedon, a nationally respected community cat surgeon, volunteer and former clinical professor, with The Oliver, Alley Cat Allies’ most prestigious award that honors those who show outstanding dedication and achievement and who champion excellence in all facets of life-saving work for cats.
The Oliver Award Honoring Those who Protect Cats
“Over the many years I’ve known him, Dr. Weedon has been a relentless advocate for animal care programs and ideas that protect and improve the lives of cats,” Robinson said. “Even more importantly, he has shared his knowledge with future generations of veterinarians as a university professor and a teacher of the latest surgical practices. He inspires everyone in the animal protection movement to continue making progress every day in our critical work to save cats from being killed.”
Each recipient of The Oliver has turned compassion and unique skills into a powerful force for change, setting the standard for what it means to be a true ally to cats. The Oliver award is named in memory of Oliver the cat, who lived and thrived with his family of cats in his outdoor home until he was trapped and killed by a local animal control agency. Oliver represents countless numbers of cats who are killed each year under senseless and costly animal control policies that have been failing communities for generations. Outdated policies that do not protect cats or public health are becoming a thing of the past but not quickly enough. It is critical that humane and transparent policies are employed in every community and shelter, so that no cat has to suffer the same fate as Oliver.
A Leader in the Veterinary Community for Animal Care Programs
Dr. Weedon is a leading voice in the veterinary community aiming to protect cats, including community cats, sometimes called feral cats, who live their lives in the outdoors. He sits on the board of the Alliance for Contraception in Cats & Dogs (ACC&D) and is currently a community cat surgeon at TLC PetSnip in Lakeland, Florida. He recently retired from the position of clinical assistant professor at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine where he helped to grow the university’s shelter medicine program and trained veterinary students in high-quality, high-volume spay and neuter. Dr. Weedon has also volunteered with Friends of Felines, a group that surgically sterilizes community cats in Wilmington, North Carolina, and served as a volunteer surgeon at the New Hanover County, North Carolina, Animal Control Services spay/neuter facility.
Robinson presented The Oliver to Dr. Weedon in front of more than 150 animal professionals and advocates at the Alley Cat Allies Every Kitty, Every City® FLORIDA conference in Orlando on January 17, 2020.
About Alley Cat Allies
Alley Cat Allies, headquartered in Bethesda, Md., is the global engine of change for cats. Alley Cat Allies is the leading advocacy organization dedicated to protecting and improving the lives of all cats through its innovative, cutting-edge programs. Founded in 1990, today Alley Cat Allies has grown into a powerful force with over half a million supporters. The organization has helped and inspired countless individuals, communities and other organizations to save and improve the lives of cats and kittens worldwide. Alley Cat Allies works with lawmakers, animal shelters and advocates to change attitudes and advance lifesaving policies that best serve the interests of cats. Alley Cat Allies’ website is www.alleycat.org, and the organization is active on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.