About

The Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) is pleased to recognize Dr. Melanie Denommé Stauder, Department of Biological Sciences at Brock University, as this year’s recipient of the CCAC Emerging Leader Award. This award recognizes her remarkable contributions to reptile welfare, as well as her significant and sustained commitment to the Three Rs principles.

In March 2026, Dr. Denommé Stauder successfully defended her thesis assessing reptiles’ perceptions of common husbandry practices, how these practices influenced their welfare, and the motivations behind their repetitive behaviours. Throughout her academic career, she has shown an ability to advance animal care not only by generating new knowledge, but by actively applying it, sharing it, and ensuring others can implement it in practice. In doing so, she is helping shape the next generation of ethical researchers and empowering diverse voices in science to build a more inclusive, forward‑thinking community.

Her commitment to refinement, demonstrated through practical, implementable recommendations, her efforts to adopt out her research animals, and her willingness to challenge established norms, reflect both scientific rigour and a strong ethical foundation. Her volunteer service, compassion, and emerging leadership within the CCAC community further highlight her ability to translate knowledge into practice, support others, and meaningfully advance animal welfare at both the institutional and national level.

Dr. Denommé-Stauder’s leadership, accountability, and deep commitment to animal welfare make her a truly deserving recipient of this award.