Celebrating International Dog Day with Nick Blayney
To celebrate International Dog Day (26 August), the University of Liverpool Veterinary Alumni Association caught-up with Nick Blayney (BVSc 1980). After graduating, Nick pursued a varied and meaningful career, working in both mixed practice and leadership positions in veterinary organisations. He has been an advocate for dog welfare, collaborating with the Royal Kennel Club and other groups to improve relationships between vets and dog breeders to ensure the health and wellbeing of our beloved dogs. As Nick looks back on his achievements, we are reminded of the special bond between humans and dogs and the responsibility we all have to protect their welfare. We celebrate his dedication and the inspiration he offers to veterinarians who are passionate about improving the health and lives of dogs.
What inspired you to pursue a veterinary career?
It might sound corny, but I am one of the James Herriot generations. And what’s more, when I graduated (1980) the profession was much closer to the Herriot milieu than it is today, which puts it into context a bit. His books still make an excellent farming, social and veterinary history of its time. I spent much of my teenage years on family farms, and even earned a bit doing relief milking as a student. I was fascinated by biology (and still am) and I had an inspirational O- and A-Level Biology teacher who fuelled my interest and taught me how to think scientifically. When I was at primary school my best friend’s dad was the local vet. We used to hang around the surgery, well before the days of Health and Safety! Looking back, these factors all contributed to my career path. One of my grandfathers was a farmer, the other a GP, so my father always held the view that this was the natural fusion!
Do you have any memorable experiences from your time as a vet student at Liverpool? Did anyone inspire you as a student?
No particular experiences come to mind, at least none that I’d choose to recall here. My memories are very happy, and I enjoyed my time enormously. I was secretary of the vets’ rugby club for two seasons. I had some difficulty with work-life balance: second year resits sure focussed the mind! I struggled more in the earlier (more theoretical) years, but it all came together as it became more practical. The course is better structured now to marry theory and practical skills. Leahurst was a bit like being back at boarding school.
My year recently celebrated our 44-year reunion. It was a joy to see old classmates. We’d all been forged in the same fire, and we continue to enjoy each other’s company though we have been on various and different journeys since.
Tell us about your career since graduating from Liverpool. How did you come to work with the Kennel Club?
I worked as an assistant for ten years, across different practices on the Welsh borders. Then I bought a practice in Warwickshire, between 4 and 5 person, which I ran for 25 years before selling. We watched our workload shift from agricultural to companion animal during that time and sold the components to two different neighbouring practices.
I am one of those dinosaurs who remained in mixed practice my whole career. With the huge expansion of veterinary knowledge of recent decades such an approach is probably no longer viable, although the comparative aspects of dealing across the species can be illuminating. Some time spent in Malawi with Luke Gamble’s WVA assisting with ‘barefoot vet’ training took me right back to basics and to One Medicine.
Through the encouragement of one of my bosses when I was an assistant, I became interested in veterinary politics. I was Warwickshire Rep on BVA Council, Honorary Secretary of SPVS, Chair of one of BVA’s steering committees and then I had the honour of being BVA President.
I became involved with the Royal Kennel Club when I was BVA President. There had always been links between the two organisations, particularly through the Canine Health Schemes, but there were at the time pressing issues that the two organisations worked on together. There was a rather sensational TV documentary which had the clear agenda of criticising the breeding practices in the KC and the profession for condoning them (and making money out of correcting them). Clearly this was not the view held by the profession, which was in the main concerned about the direction of dog breeding and showing. I was interviewed robustly and at length for the programme but the only quote they used from me was that we had to cherish the KC because it was the only organisation that could effect change and the profession must be its critical friend.
At the end of my period of office I was invited to continue to work with the KC in a personal capacity which I have been delighted to do. I see my role as a bridge between the profession and the breeding world. I speak for myself, not as a representative of the BVA or the profession, but I like to think that I reflect a balanced view. The BVA (and BSAVA) have their own routes into the KC. The issues with dog breeding are as much to do with politics as with science. I have the honour of chairing the Health Advisory Group which has access to many experts in a wide range of areas of interest to improve dog health and welfare. We have the support of a considerable number of specialist vets and other scientists as well as veterinary professional organisations. The KC funds a considerable amount of research into canine welfare issues through its charitable trust.
The KC have access to a most impressive list of experts in their field and I see my job as seeing the bigger picture and knitting the various aspects together: and persuading the KC Board to finance projects. In that respect a career in first opinion practice provides useful life skills, experiences, and perspectives. The principles of selective breeding span all species.
For some ten years I contributed to the TV coverage of Crufts and regularly appeared on that (extremely uncomfortable) settee. I saw my role as one of education, and in that respect, I was at times in polite conflict with the executive producer who reminded me that he had the role of entertainment. I always reminded myself that I was talking to my clients, from whom I got plenty of feedback in the following weeks! Anyway, Channel4 have put me out to pasture now.
You've been involved in various veterinary associations and initiatives. How has your work impacted the welfare and health of dogs, and what motivates you to keep advocating for them?
I look back on my involvement with the KC and with dog breeders directly and I think I can see where I have had influence here and there by changing mindsets. The profession tends to treat all dog breeders with disdain – even contempt – and whilst they can be a challenging group of clients for sure there is a need to find a common language. I have been asked many times to address the KC Board on matters within my purview and I have had to remind them that they too have an obligation to put canine welfare at front and centre. The impressive list of health tests and initiatives stand testament to the efforts of those individuals that have done the groundwork. I’m just the front man.
I regret that there remains poor public awareness of the impacts of canine conformation on health and welfare and the choice of dog to buy. Colleagues see the consequences every day in the clinic.
What motivates me to continue? I enjoy the company of the people that it brings me into contact with. I enjoy discussing, debating, explaining, hopefully helping people to see the other side of the coin. But being a vet has always been a people job. The animals are the easy bit.
Do you have any advice for current veterinary students or alumni who are passionate about canine welfare?
I know that there are many dog breeders who wish to have a good working relationship with a vet. If you want to make a difference, then recognise when such a person walks into your clinic and encourage their good efforts. Berating them just reinforces the mutual hostility. This profession earns a substantial part of its total income from canine practice, and it is shame that our opinion is only sought once the puppy has been purchased and that we can’t influence dog breeding more.
When you look at Crufts – turnover £2.5 million, 150 thousand odd visitors and 24 thousand dogs in attendance and some eight million people watching the final you realise where the real influence lies.
Having said that, the veterinary professional holds a unique position in this society which has such strong bonds with this other species, the dog. We need to understand not just the veterinary science but also the social science involved.
If you wish to make a difference in canine welfare then engage with your professional organisations, especially the BVA such that they can go to Government with a clear evidence-based mandate from the people who really do understand canine welfare: the veterinary profession.