Feline Research Pioneer and Community Vet Honoured at 2026 NSW Centenary Awards
For cat owners and shelter advocates, veterinary medicine is about far more than routine check-ups—it is about protecting vulnerable felines and honouring the quiet, deeply grounding bond between cats and the people who love them.
That commitment took centre stage at the Veterinary Practitioners Board of NSW’s Annual General Meeting in Parramatta on Monday, 9 November, where four standout practitioners received the 2026 Centenary Awards. Marking 100 years since formal veterinary registration began under the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1923, the awards recognise leaders advancing One Health, One Welfare, and clinical excellence across the state.
“Being a veterinarian is not simply about what you know clinically. It is also about what you contribute,” said Board President Dr Magdoline Awad. “It is about sharing knowledge, mentoring others, improving animal health and welfare, and leaving the profession and the community a little stronger than you found it.”
While this year's recipients span aquatic biosecurity, equine dentistry, and chronic joint pain, One Welfare Award winner Dr Mark Westman has made a particularly profound impact on the lives of Australian cats—both in the research laboratory and on the streets.
Spotlight: Dr Mark Westman – Saving Shelter Cats & Supporting Vulnerable Owners
Dr Mark Westman, a veterinary microbiologist at the NSW State Veterinary Laboratory and co-founder of the national charity Pets in the Park, was awarded the Centenary One Welfare Award for his landmark feline viral disease research, veterinary education, and grassroots community work.
Transforming FIV and FeLV Outcomes for Australian Cats
For decades, a positive point-of-care test for feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) or feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) often meant automatic euthanasia for rescue and shelter cats across Australia.
Westman has dedicated much of his scientific career to changing that reality. Having authored more than 20 peer-reviewed papers on feline retroviruses, he serves as chair of the Australian Feline Retrovirus Advisory Panel, where he championed mandatory confirmatory testing guidelines to prevent healthy shelter cats from being unnecessarily euthanased due to false-positive initial results.
Building on that progress, he is currently supporting clinical trials investigating the use of human HIV antiviral medications to treat affected cats—offering new hope for felines living with viral disease.
From Rural Dreams to Street-Level Welfare
Westman’s path into shelter medicine and community welfare began far from a pathology lab. Inspired by James Herriot and childhood holidays on his grandparents’ Wagga Wagga dairy farm, he initially planned to become a rural vet. However, a university talk at the University of Sydney about volunteering with street animals in Bali shifted his trajectory. After graduating in 2003, he spent five formative years with the RSPCA in Sydney, immersing himself in shelter animal welfare.
The spark for Pets in the Park came when a high school friend running a Parramatta soup kitchen mentioned that visitors seeking food relief were also struggling to afford basic care for their companion animals. Westman began heading to the park with vaccines, parasite treatments, and veterinary advice. Alongside co-founders Dr Leah Skelsey, Linda Warlond, and Vicky Cawsey, that grassroots effort grew into a nationwide charity providing free veterinary care to cats and dogs belonging to people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
Protecting the Human–Animal Bond
“Pets in the Park starts as free vet care, but it gives us unique access into people’s lives to help in other ways,” Westman explains.
He recalls one long-term client—an Iranian refugee who attended clinics for 15 years with his two beloved small terrier crosses. Over the years, the volunteer network rallied well beyond veterinary medicine: a volunteer lawyer assisted with his visa and immigration paperwork, and colleagues helped him secure accommodation in a granny flat at a local veterinary clinic, where he is now exploring casual work.
For Westman, challenging stigma around disadvantaged pet owners remains central to his mission.
“People can be quick to judge and assume that people experiencing homelessness have pets for self-serving reasons or that the animals aren’t well cared for,” he notes. “After almost 15 years with Pets in the Park, I can tell you that our clients absolutely love and adore their animals. They often put their pets’ needs ahead of their own.”
Next on Westman’s agenda is Community Vets—a student-led veterinary hospital model designed to pair hands-on clinical training for vet students with free or low-cost care for disadvantaged pet owners.
“Do what you can with what you have so you can help make your own little sphere of the world a better place,” Westman says. “Small actions can grow into something much bigger.”
Also Honoured at the 2026 Centenary Awards
Left to right: Dr Oliver Liyou (Professional Practice Award), Dr Mark Westman (One Welfare Award), and Dr James Fensham (Early Career Award) at the AGM in Parramatta. Recipient A/Prof Sanaa Zaki (One Health Award) was unable to attend.
Alongside Westman, three other NSW veterinarians were recognised for leadership across clinical practice, research, and biosecurity:
- Associate Professor Sanaa Zaki – One Health Award: Leading the University of Sydney’s One Health Musculoskeletal Research Group, A/Prof Zaki bridges human and animal medicine to tackle osteoarthritis and chronic pain—research with major benefits for senior cats and dogs living with mobility issues. She also develops resilience and self-care curricula for veterinary graduates.
- Dr Oliver Liyou – Professional Practice Award: Based in Northern NSW, Dr Liyou is a pioneer in equine dentistry education through Equine Veterinary & Dental Services (EVDS), opened his South Grafton clinic to house displaced horses during the 2022 floods, and advocates strongly for vet mental health.
- Dr James Fensham – Early Career Award (Inaugural Recipient): Recognised within his first ten years of graduation for his work in commercial aquaculture, focusing on preventive biosecurity, food safety, and responsible antibiotic stewardship.
With more than 5,100 registered veterinarians across NSW, the 2026 Centenary Awards underscore how modern veterinary leadership—from advancing life-saving FIV research to caring for animals on the streets—extends well beyond the consulting room.
For more information, visit the 2026 Centenary Awards.
Hero image: Dr Mark Westman swabbing Mr Woo during feline retrovirus research. Photo: Dr Anne Quain.
