Win for animal welfare
Mid Scotland and Fife MSP, Mark Ruskell, has been named the winner of an award for services to animal welfare.
The MSP, from Deanston, was named by OneKind joint winner of the Lord Houghton Award. The other recipient was fellow Green MSP Alison Johnstone.
The award has been given every year since 1979. OneKind, Animal Defenders International (ADI), League Against Cruel Sports and British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV), take turns to present the award for outstanding services to animal welfare.
This year’s winners were nominated by members of OneKind and OneKind trustees made the final decision.
Mr Ruskell’s work on animal welfare dates back to 2005 when he was on the committee examining the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Bill, a role he continues to this day as he is currently scrutinising legislation to ban wild animals from travelling circuses.
He has also spoken out against the weakening of Scotland’s tail-docking ban, and recently lodged the Protecting Animal Welfare after Brexit Motion in support of maintaining the requirement to pay full regard to animal welfare in Scotland after Brexit.
Mr Ruskell said: “The welfare of animals has always been a prominent issue in the Scottish Green Party and we are determined to carry on campaigning to ensure the EU Withdrawal Bill does not open the door to needless animal suffering.”
Previous winners of the award includes actor and comedian Ricky Gervais and Linda McCartney.