Pets at Home has appointed Gudrun Ravetz, to the newly-created role of Veterinary Officer.

Gurdun is currently Head of Workplace Engagement of the Vets Group (Vets4Pets) at Pets at Home, and has over twenty years’ experience as a veterinary surgeon with strong expertise from across the industry.

During her career, Gudrun has held a range of roles including President of the Society of Veterinary Surgeons, Officer of the British Veterinary Association and President 2016-2017, and Chair and Director of Vet Sustain. Gudrun is also Chair of the Vet Record Editorial Advisory Group and Chair of the Veterinary Medicines Directorate Better Antibiotic Data by Farming System working group.

She continues to engage with the veterinary profession at senior levels with a strong focus on workplace engagement, in addition to culture and animal welfare.

This new role will be pivotal in delivering the Pets at Home pet care strategy, which puts clinical expertise and pet welfare at the very heart of the business.

In her new role, Gudrun will also become Chair of the Pet Welfare Committee, which operates as the guardian of the Pets at Home’s number one value - to put pets first. This includes oversight of products and services, risk management, pet welfare messaging and consumer engagement, in addition to ownership of clinical and pet related research funds.

Louise Stonier, COO of Vets4Pets, commented: “I’m delighted to announce Gudrun’s new role today. She has an impressive track record of supporting and advocating for the UK’s vet community and brings her strong network and proven expertise to the role. Today’s announcement is a critical step in the strengthening of our central clinical team, reinforcing our laser focus on delivering the best pet care across the UK.”

Commenting on her appointment, Gudrun said: “Pets at Home has a critical role in the UK’s pet care ecosystem. I’m excited to have the opportunity to take a leading role in shaping the future of clinical expertise and pet welfare within the business, and to also join the Pet Welfare Committee, which will help to showcase our progress and identify how we can best share our knowledge on some of the most important issues affecting pets and vets. Pets at Home has an unwavering priority of ‘putting pets first’ and I’m looking forward to helping with this mission.”