An Australian veterinarian practicing in Singapore, Dr Shane Ryan, is the newly elected President of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA). Dr Ryan, a member of the WSAVA’s Executive Board and, until recently Chair of its Animal Wellness and Welfare Committee, was elected to the presidency during WSAVA World Congress 2018, which took place in Singapore from 25-28 September. He takes over from Dr Walt Ingwersen and will serve a two-year term.
Dr Ryan qualified from the University of Queensland and worked and travelled in Australia, the UK and Europe, before moving to Singapore in 1984. In 1989, he opened his own practice in Singapore, Companion Animal Surgery, which is now a 24-hour veterinary facility with ten veterinarians and 15 auxiliary staff.
Dr Ryan first became involved with the WSAVA while a member of the Singapore Veterinary Association (SVA) Committee and, in 2007, was instrumental in developing the SVA’s bids to host WSAVA World Congress in 2018. He joined the WSAVA’s Executive Board in 2010 and was Chair of its Animal Wellness and Welfare Committee until 2017. He played a key role in the development of WSAVA’s new Animal Welfare Global Guidelines for Companion Animal Practitioners and the Veterinary Team, which were launched during this year’s WSAVA World Congress.
The WSAVA works to enhance the clinical care of companion animals globally, representing more than 200,00 veterinarians around the world through 110 member associations. Its core activities include the creation of Global Guidelines which set standards for veterinary care and providing continuing education (CE) and other educational resources for its members, particularly those in which companion animal veterinary care is still emerging.
Commenting on his election, he said: “Walt Ingwersen has been a fantastic President and, on behalf of all of our members, I’d like to thank him for his commitment and passion. We have made great progress during the last two years.
“I will build on his efforts to strengthen the sense of community across the association and I’ll be engaging with our members and working with our leadership team to ensure that our Executive Board and clinical committees are even more accessible, professionally and socially. There is much still do to as we work together to raise standards of veterinary care globally and to advocate on key issues on behalf of our members.
“We are a strong global community and I want us to continue to deliver great work – and to enjoy the benefits of true global collaboration and friendship.”