Canine Health Discovery of the Year Award

Canine Health Discovery of the Year Award

Overview: An annual award celebrating the single most transformative recent advancement in canine health. This inaugural award honors groundbreaking research that redefines what's possible for dogs everywhere.

Award Characteristics

Funding-Agnostic: Nominations are open to research teams worldwide whose work significantly advances the prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of canine disease, regardless of funding source. Research does not need to be CHF-supported to be eligible.

Geographic Scope: Global. The award recognizes that breakthrough science improving dogs' lives knows no boundaries.

Focus Areas:

Prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of canine disease

Genetics

Nutrition

Cancer treatment and research

Any area representing substantial and significant advancement in canine health

Eligibility Requirements

• Research Quality: Nominated research must represent a substantial and significant advancement in canine health — a true breakthrough that moves the field forward meaningfully
• Publication Timeline: Each project must have been published, widely disseminated, or recognized for its importance within the past year
• Applicant Type: Nominations open to both established experts and emerging innovators
• Definition of Breakthrough: A breakthrough discovery changes what we know — reshaping understanding of disease, opening new diagnostic frontiers, or revealing treatments that never existed before (not merely incremental progress)

Review Process

Expert Panel: Submissions evaluated by an independent panel of 18 distinguished canine health experts representing:

Veterinary medicine

Genetics

Oncology

Neurology

Other relevant fields

Evaluation Criteria: Panel assesses which research constitutes a true breakthrough and demonstrates transformative science

2025 Timeline

• Week of October 13, 2025: Eight semi-finalists announced
• November 2025: Three finalists revealed and profiled
• December 11, 2025: Winner announced live at the Canines & Cocktails Gala in Orlando, Florida

Contact Information

Organization: AKC Canine Health Foundation
Address: 8051 Arco Corporate Drive, Suite 300, Raleigh, NC 27617
Phone: (888) 682-9696
Email: chf@akcchf.org
Website: akcchf.org
Tax ID: 13-3813813