The BVA has chosen nine finalists for this year's Veterinary Photographer of the Year competition.

BVA President Malcolm Morley said: “Judging this competition has been genuinely both extremely enjoyable and really difficult.

"The entries this year have absolutely surpassed expectations and the level of talent on display is amazing.

"However, the photographs we have chosen are all well worthy of being finalists.

"From photos that made us laugh out loud, to others that made some of us feel close to tears, they evoked a range of emotions, but we were also impressed by the quality of the images, the creativity of the photographers and the composition of the photos, as well as the stories behind the lens.

The finalists are:

Vets at work

  • A Gentle Touch by Sam Price. A Ring-tailed Lemur gently grasps the vet’s finger while recovering from an anaesthetic.


  • Mopping the Brow by Justyn Loveridge shows some light relief after a long procedure.


  • #Colostrumisgold by Sophie Aylett, captures the moment a young calf was up and on the teat before the cow’s muscle layers were even sutured up following a c-section. 

All creatures great and small

  • Roe Buck Running by Jenny Grewal, who photographed this roe buck as he ran through the mustard flowers in the fields of an estate on the Wiltshire-Hampshire border.


  • On the Shoulders of Giants by Katherine Edmondson. Taken at sunrise at Kwantu Game Reserve, South Africa, this image shows three red-billed oxpeckers hunting for insects on the back of a young giraffe in the early hours of the morning.


  • Cheeky Munch by Lilia Silva, who had gone to a local park in London to take photos of birds but couldn’t resist capturing a cheeky squirrel munching away on some berries.

Happy pets that make us smile

  • Jumping for Joy by Sam Price. This photo features dog Winnie, who loves nothing more than a beach day.


  • Snow Focused by Alice Watson. Rusty the dog on a snowy day in Nowton Park, Bury St Edmunds.


  • Main picture: Sheep-a-Doodle Do! by Charlotte Clough. A car boot overflowing with six 12-week-old puppies, in a vet surgery car park.

The winners will be announced at BVA Live at Birmingham’s NEC in May, where this year there is also an opportunity for BVA Live delegates to vote for their favourite image from the shortlist, with a new ‘People’s Choice’ winner being announced in the weeks following the event.

PS: Whilst you're here, take a moment to see our latest job opportunities for vet nurses.