I Am a Cat Person

I am a cat person, but of course, the welfare of dogs is also very important to me. I was therefore pleased to visit the Expertise Centre for Genetics in Veterinary Medicine, where Hille Fieten and her colleagues work very hard on the health and welfare of both cats and dogs. They conduct research on hereditary diseases and harmful physical traits, and they also develop tools to eliminate them.

One such tool is PetScan, a digital platform where veterinarians can look up and enter patient diagnoses. This brings together national data, allowing researchers to unravel which problems occur in which breeds and what genetic defects are the cause. Veterinarians can then see in PetScan which conditions to be alert for in a particular breed. DNA tests are also being developed to enable breeders to breed with healthy combinations of parent animals. This way, everyone contributes to eliminating hereditary animal suffering.

The annual theme of Utrecht University is: Healthy Planet. It brings everything together: the health of people, animals, and the entire planet with its ecosystems. Not only is this a wise way to look at various issues, but it also leads to collaboration. Everything we learn about hereditary diseases in dogs and cats is also useful for human medical science. Doctors and veterinarians exchange a lot of data and knowledge. I have been convinced of this, and it gives me a lot of hope for the future. A healthy future for everyone, including my lovely cats.

Jean Rummenie is Secretary of State for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature.

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