The RFVS is a group of motivated vets and vet nurses with a common interest in raw feeding and species appropriate nutrition in dogs and cats.
Our Mission
To promote the principles and practical aspects of species-appropriate nutrition, through education of veterinary professionals and the pet-owning public.
As practising veterinary surgeons it is important we give clients clear, practical feeding strategies they can follow in their busy lives. In a biologically- ideal world every hunting carnivore would be fed on live prey. Clearly this is socially un-acceptable, morally questionable and impractical. A spectrum of 'lesser' alternatives are available, and there will always be a trade-off between convenience, ideology, cost and practicalities. What is right for one pet owner may not work for another.
So let’s not talk in ‘definites’ – there is no right or wrong, simply different ways of improving our pets nutrition to greater or lesser degrees.
It is UK based, but we welcome any veterinary professional from around the world. Formed in 2014, it represents another step in the evolution of the recognition of feeding pet animals food they would, logically, have adapted to over millennia in the wild. We are committed to professional, responsible communication, education and research on all areas of nutrition in dogs and cats.
Our Committee
Christian Vergara
President
Christian Vergara is the first vet in Chile who ventured into teaching raw feeding to his colleagues. He is the Medical Director of Barfchile. Christian's passion is the microbiome and teaching people all about it.
Neus Candela
Senior Vice President & Director
Amaya is a vet from Spain, with a Diploma in Feline Medicine by Centro de Especialidades Médicas Veterinarias, Argentina. She specialises in feline care and started Felvet in 2013, working with cat owners who have poorly cats, providing them with support and advice in health, nutrition and behaviour that’s missing from conventional medicine. Raw feeding is just one of the alternative tools that she uses in her practice. E: [email protected]
Katie McCaul
RFVS Treasurer
Katie qualified as a Veterinary Nurse in 1998 and became Head Nurse in a mixed practice. She has worked as an NVQ assessor as well as in weight clinics, theatre and kennels. Katie completed a BSc in Animal Behaviour and Physiology and has taught on the VN degree program, worked with Wiltshire Wildlife Trust. She delivers CPD to veterinary professionals and shares her experience with owners to help improve the diet and health of their dogs.
Morag Sutherland
RFVS Secretary
Morag is an RVN with more years experience than she cares to remember. Her interests outside raw food are in equine and canine behaviour. She is the boss at Gelert Behaviour.
Brendan Clarke
Director
Brendan qualified from London Vet School in 1994 and has worked in general practice for 25 years. In 1998 he took over the partnership of Towerwood Vets. In 2002 Brendan became the secretary for the regional branch of the BVA, the Yorkshire Veterinary Society, becoming president in 2014. He was also nominated and voted the first BVA regional representative for Yorkshire and Humberside between 2007 and 2014. Brendan strongly feels that nutrition is an essential part of animal health and welfare and has a wealth of general practice experience offering advice on, and monitoring clinical cases of, biologically appropriate nutrition for both cats and dogs.
Moddie Lambert BCCSDip. HthNut is a qualified Canine Nutritionist and owner of Simply Raw Feeding with over 8 years experience of tailoring enhanced raw feeding solutions for dogs of all breeds. As a dog and cat owner all my life, my passion is helping owners to get the best outcome for their dogs and cats through a balanced, natural diet. I am a huge fan of tripe and known to some as the “Tripe Queen” a glamorous, title of which I am very proud! E: [email protected]
Barbara Royal, DVM, CVA, founder and owner of The Royal Treatment Veterinary Center, is an internationally-renowned pioneer in complementary medicine and physical rehabilitation. She graduated with high honours from the University of Illinois, College of Veterinary Medicine in 1995 and is now based in Chicago, USA. Barbara Royal is a published author, international lecturer and has formulated a new line of raw food. E: [email protected]
Nick Thompson
Founder and Director
Nick runs Holisticvet Ltd. in Wiltshire and he passionately advocates for responsible, species-appropriate raw food feeding for pets and has done for the last 25 years. His pet topics are gastroenterology and the microbiome and the misuse of pharmaceuticals in medicine. He loves researching all aspects of human and animal nutrition.
Dr Richard Malik, Sydney University
Cat/Medicine Specialist
Dr Karen Becker
DVM, NMD
Dr Ian Billinghurst
BVSc (Hons), BScAgr Dip Ed
Dr Barbara Royal
DVC, CVA, CIAC
Dr Lyn Thomson
Anna Hielm-Björkman
Adjunct Professor (Docent), PI, DVM, PhD, CVA
University of Helsinki | HY · Equine and Small Animal Medicine
Dr Emma Bermingham, PhD
Dr Thomas Lonsdale
BVetMed MRCVS
Catherine O'Driscoll
On November 12th 2020, we lost one of our own, Catherine O'Driscoll, founder of CHC (Canine Health Concern). An inspirational, brave and unique human being who we at the RFVS have decided to make an honorary associate member posthumously.
Catherine was a passionate advocate for raw food feeding ahead of her time in her relentless and selfless pursuit of wanting the best for our dogs. In Catherine's own words; "Use your voice, your intelligence, your love, and speak the truth for those who will benefit from listening."
As we gain momentum in striving to educate on the importance of species-appropriate nutrition, let's do so in Catherine's memory carrying forward the crucial foundations of her work for which she so selflessly gave of her time and of herself.
We miss your presence, Catherine, you deserve to rest easy with all your beloved dogs who went ahead of you. Neither your work nor your courage will ever be forgotten.
Dr Nick Thompson
BSc (Hons) Path Sci., BVM&S, VetMFHom, MRCVS.
How could we NOT have Dr Nick Thompson as an Honorary Life Member? Without his vision in bringing together a small group of vets and nurses in November 2014 all of whom shared his passion for feeding real food, RFVS Ltd would not exist.
Over the years, Nick has brought together an ever-growing group of professionals sharing this passion, has led a voluntary committee in steering RFVS forward, has organised annual conferences with speakers and delegates from all over the world and built up the strong, still growing and ever more international organisation that is RFVS Ltd today. He has inspired so many pet owners with the confidence to improve their pets' diet through his own practice, through his workshops and more recently, his social media presence.
Truly a vet who has made a difference to the wellbeing of so many pets.
Past Honorary Members
Dr Lyn Thomson
