WPA Honors Internationally Renowned Animal Behaviorist

The World Pet Association (WPA) honors Dr. Roger Mugford as 2015’s Matsui Award recipient. Named after former WPA board president Jiro Matsui, it’s considered the most exclusive lifetime achievement award in the pet industry.

WHAT – WPA Matsui Award Presentation & Concert

WHY – This prestigious honor has been bestowed only 32 times since its 1969 inception (meaning there were 14 years no individual was deemed worthy).

A three-minute video, recognizing Dr. Mugford’s dedication to improving the lives of animals and his contribution to the pet industry, prefaced Dr. Mugford receiving the Matsui Award on stage. The band Heart, including Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Ann and Nancy Wilson, performed to a sold out audience following the presentation.

As Britain’s led animal psychologist and a pioneer in behavioral therapy, Dr. Mugford’s career has led him to train the Queen’s corgis and speak on behalf of animal welfare in courts across the world. “Everything Roger does puts the welfare of the animal first. His life is dedicated to making pets lives better through positive reinforcement and strengthening the human-animal bond. This is directly reflected in his training and his products," comments Michael Lasky, former WPA chairman and current board member. 

Dr. Mugford is a prolific author, educator and animal welfare advocate. In 1979 he founded The Animal Behaviour Centre in Surrey, UK, a referral service for veterinary surgeons and their clients with problem pets. More than 80,000 pets have benefitted from the Centre’s services to date. That same year, he founded The Company of Animals brand where he invented and developed a range of products that have revolutionized the way people train their pets. The HALTI™ head collar and Pet Corrector™ auditory training tool are among his exemplary products frequently copied by competitors but unmatched in quality or effectiveness.

Dr. Mugford is also a Dogs For The Disabled patron, Cancer & Bio-detection Dogs trustee and 2005’s Blue Cross Welfare Award recipient. Proud to maintain a link with his Devonshire farming heritage, he resides at Ruxbury Farm where he personally cares for a herd of 70 purebred South Devon cattle, 100 sheep, horses, llamas, and more.

“Roger continues to make significant contributions to the betterment of pets all over the world and we cannot think of a more deserving individual to receive the WPA Lifetime Achievement Award,” continues Lasky. “His interests in the pet industry are for the pets themselves. He’s a trainer and behaviorist first, and a product developer out of necessity; as such, his products are regarded as the most humane and effective available.”