August 24, 2023 –
Nicole Martell-Moran, DVM, MPH, DABVP (Feline Practice) has been named the 2023 Veterinary Hero in Feline Medicine at the nation Fetch/dvm360 Conference in Kansas City. Dr. Martell-Moran has done extensive research on how the long-term adverse effects of declawing can impact cats. And as the director of The Paw Project, Texas division, she educates the public about the painful effects of feline declawing. Martell-Moran expressed feeling bittersweet about her work on declawing. Although it is upsetting to see the harmful effects it has had on cats, she said she’s glad that her work is ultimately aiding in the efforts to put an end to declawing.
“Professionally, I think Jenny Conrad DVM, Founder and Director of The Paw Project…was helpful in inspiring me to just trust my gut, trust [what] I’m seeing. Also, my stepdad [is] a radiologist, and he kind of taught me that it is possible to love your work and it’s OK to love your work,” she said. Martell-Moran was described as a “true cat hero” and a “problem solver” by her nominator. “She loves to do unbiased research…to get to an answer and then she uses that knowledge to educate other veterinarians and to help feline-kind,” wrote her nominator. “Her focus is on how to make the world a better place for cats and their humans.”