SPEAKERS

DVM Krzysztof Adamczyk. In 2017 he graduated from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the Warsaw University of Life Sciences, since three years he is interested in diseases of pigeons. Within the framework of the Scientific Circle of Veterinary Students he deals with the molecular diagnostics of viral pigeon diseases. He is the author of several reports on the Symposia Students Scientific Circles. His thesis entitled “The Use of PCR and LAMP in Molecular Diagnostics of CoHV-1 Infection in Domestic Pigeons (Columba livia var. domestica)” was awarded at the XLIII Congress of Scientific Circles in Warsaw and took the third place at the Second International Conference of the Students of Veterinary Medicine in Warsaw. In 2017, he began PhD studies in which he deals with the epidemiology of pigeon virus diseases in Poland, and diagnostics with molecular biology methods of Staphylococcus agnetis, as potential factor causing the occurrence of lameness in hen broiler flocks.

MSc Daria Dziewulska, graduated from University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn in 2010 with Master of Science in Biotechnology at Faculty Biology and Biotechnology. Senior scientific-technical specialist at Department of Poultry Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn. Widely understood molecular diagnostic of avian diseases is her area of expertise. The author of doctoral dissertation about the mechanisms of action of selected plant extracts as immunomodulators in clinically healthy pigeons and pigeons inoculated with the virus.

DVM Krzysztof Jażdżewski, Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer since July 2014. Coordinates the activities of the Chief Veterinary Officer in matters of animal health and international cooperation. Defines the tasks to be carried out and supervises their implementation in matters covered by the scope of operation of the Bureau of Health and Animal Protection as well as the Office for European Union Affairs and International Cooperation. He develops plans for combating infectious animal diseases including high pathogenic avian influenza. For many years, working in very responsible positions in the Chief Veterinary Inspectorate, Dr. Jażdżewski has vast practical experience in this field.

Professor, Dr. med. vet. habil., Maria-Elisabeth Krautwald-Junghanns.  Director Clinic for Birds and Reptiles and university professor at Leipzig University in Germany. Her main scientific interest are imaging techniques in avian medicine, keeping of birds and antibiotics in avian medicine. She is working in avian medicine since 1984 (among others founding member of EAAV, ECAMS). She have also very prestigious titles: Diplomate of the European College of Zoological Medicine (former Avian Medicine and Surgery), past president ECAMS, residency director. She also have got various German spec. degrees for poultry, pet-zoo and wild birds and reptiles. She is author of  27 books or book chapters, more than 180 per-reviewed articles, more than 250 national and international contributions in congress proceedings. Professor is the author (co-author) of many important, fundamental works in the field of pigeon pathology.

DVM Pascal Lanneau: Graduaded in 1997 at the University of Ghent, Belgium, faculty Veterinary Medicine. Started an own veterinary practice in 1998 in Moen, Belgium, as vet for small animals, but during the years more and more interested and specialised in pigeon medicines. Nowadays supervising a lot of pigeon lofts, Prevention, diagnosing, treating, counseling etc of the pigeon AND the fancier. A lot of special interests in everything concerning the reproduction of the pigeon. Co-Founder and Co-Owner of PiGen®, Pigeon Genetics,  a center for the enhancing, counseling and reliability of the genetic quality of racing pigeons. Author of different articles concerning Pigeon medicines for fanciers

Co author of the book “Vets’ tips for Pigeon fanciers” Member of “Belgian veterinarians with special interest in pigeon sports”.

Ph.D. DVM Aleksandra Ledwoń: since 2006, she has been the Assistant Professor at the Department of Bird Diseases, and since 2013 at the Department of Exotic Animals, Laboratory Animals, Undomesticated Animals and Fish Pathology. Her doctoral thesis involved issues related to mycobacterioses in parrots, subsequent research mainly concerned mycobacterioses as well as other infectious diseases in birds. She deals with both the clinic as well as pathology of pet birds, undomesticated birds and pigeons.

Dr Elisabeth Peus. Head of Tauben Klinik in Essen Germany

1998-2004 Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover

2004-2005 Promotion (animal nutrition)

2005-2006 job in the animal nutrition

2006-2007 job in the clinic for pet animals in Hannover

Since 2007 job in the Taubenklinik

2014 Zusatzbezeichnung Zier-, Zoo- Wildvögel, Klinikleitung

2017 Fachtierarzt Zier-, Zoo- Wildvögel, Tätigkeitsschwerpunkt Brieftauben und Rassetauben

Agnieszka Przygoda-Dobrzyńska, DVM.

A graduate of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn. She has the title of specialist in the field of “Epizootiology and Veterinary Administration.” Since 2005, she has been working in the General Veterinary Inspectorate, in the Office of Health and Animal Protection. She develops and agrees programs for the eradication / monitoring of infectious animal diseases (avian influenza, Salmonella), disease control strategies, GVI instructions. She also supervises the implementation of programs for the eradication / monitoring of infectious animal diseases in relation to avian influenza and Salmonella. She participates in visits of representatives of the European Commission in Poland related to the epizootic situation in the field of avian influenza and Salmonella. Takes part in financial audits regarding veterinary programs. Prepares questionnaires and participates in F Directorate audits on the control of program implementation and the situation regarding diseases of non-ungulate animals. Participates in developing and agreeing health certificates for poultry and poultry products. Draws attention to documents of the European Commission, cooperates with OIE, gives opinions on national legal acts regarding the properties of the Office of Health and Animal Protection.

Dr Dennis Rubbenstroth DVM – graduate of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Veterinary Medice in Hanover. He defended his doctoral dissertation under the title “Investigation into the taxonomy of the genus Rimerella and the diagnosis of Rimerella infections in domestic poultry and pigeons” in 2012. From May 2018, he is the group leader of the research group at the Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Institute Friedrich Loeffler (FLI) in Greifswald. Doctor has a specialization in veterinary microbiology and specialization in poultry diseases, he also has the honorable title of Diplomate of the European College of Poultry Veterinary Science (ECPVS). Author of many articles covering the subject of viral and bacterial diseases of birds. Dr. Rubbenstroth’s field of interest is bornawirus infection of birds and young pigeon disease. Member of the FCI Veterinary and Scientific Committee for the current cadency.

Ph.D. DVM Tomasz Stenzel: in 2006 he graduated from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Olsztyn, and, in the same year he began his doctoral studies. In 2010 he defended his doctoral thesis on the practical use of immunomodulators in pigeons. Since 2011, he has been the assistant professor at the Department of Bird Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Olsztyn. Among his existing scientific achievements there are numerous studies regarding, inter alia, pigeon pathology and epidemiology of selected infectious diseases in the population of these birds, as well as publications on bird immunology and selected issues concerning the health of free-living birds. In addition, he is the author of numerous publications, mainly related to the pathology of pigeons, which appeared in esteemed veterinary press. His main research interests revolve around the pigeon circovirus infection (PiCV), and the potential possibilities of the control and prevention against YPDS. Currently he conducts research on the immunology of PiCV infection in pigeons. Besides the scientific work, he also deals with the treatment of pigeons and other domesticated birds.

Professor, Ph.D. Piotr Szeleszczuk: veterinarian, a specialist in the diseases of poultry and ornamental birds. He is the head of the Department of Pathology and Veterinary Diagnostic, Division of Avian Diseases at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the Warsaw University of Life Sciences. The author of nearly 700 academic publications including more than 100 dedicated to pigeon pathology. Studies performed in the field of pathology included the most compelling practical issues, and concerned, among others, paramyxovirosis (the description of the first cases of infection reported in Poland, the development of principles of immunoprophylaxis), therapy against salmonellosis, as well as the prevalence of parasitic diseases and other viral diseases. Professor. Szeleszczuk specializes in the issues of pathology, treatment and immunoprophylaxis of poultry, pet birds and pigeon diseases. His name – as an international expert in the field, is often associated with serodiagnosis of poultry diseases. Also, for several years he has been implementing the project “WAMSER- Warsaw Academy of Applications for Serological Monitoring in Veterinary Epidemiology.” He is the initiator and co-executor of the “Eimeria Avia“project. From the beginning of his career he has been particularly engaged in the issues related to columbopathology. Since nearly 40 years, he continues to perform actions in support of veterinary care for the pigeons in Poland initiated in the early seventies by Professor Wanda Barbara Borzemska. His original initiative, the informal Polish Columbopathologists Club amassed a team of outstanding national experts dealing with the protection of the health of pigeons, who, since 2008, meet regularly at special conferences. For over 10 years he has been the Polish representative in the Scientific Veterinary Comission – Columbophile Federation Internationale.

Dr. Krzysztof Śmietanka earned his DVM at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Life Sciences in Lublin in 2000, whereas a Ph.D. and a ScD at the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI) in Puławy, Poland, in 2007 and 2014, respectively.

He currently serves as Head of the Department of Poultry Disease and National Reference Laboratory for AI  and ND at the NVRI in Puławy. For the past 18 years, his research focused mostly (but not exclusively) on epidemiology, pathobiology, diagnosis and immunoprohylaxis of Avian Influenza (AI) and Newcastle disease (ND). He has co-authored over 50 papers in peer-reviewed journals and more than 180 abstracts in conference proceedings, papers in non peer-reviewed journals and book chapters.

His work on pigeon paramyxovirus type 1 (PPMV-1) resulted in the genetic and phenotypic characterization of PPMV-1 strains circulating in Poland as well as assessment of pathogenic properties of PPMV-1 for different species of birds.

Dr Colin Walker. Avian Veterinarian

Dr Colin Walker was graduated as a veterinarian from the University of Melbourne in 1979. Through post graduate examination he became a college accrediated avian veterinarian in 2003. He also has a Bachelor of Science majoring in Zoology from the University of Melbourne. Colin worked as a general practitioner veterinarian until 1994 but since that time has focused his veterinary work on birds. Colin established the Knox Bird Veterinary Clinic, later the Melbourne Bird Veterinary Clinic in 2000. Colin has kept pigeons since he was 10 years old and started racing in 1969 when he was 15. He races most years except when work or travel commitments preclude this. Colin competes in his local club, the Knox Racing Pigeon Club and is the club”s president. The Knox Racing Pigeon Club is affiliated with the Victorian Homing Association which has about 300 members. Colin has twice been federation champion (i.e. best flyer for the year) and has twice been runner up. In 2010 he was placed 12th overall. Colin also keeps and exhibits several breeds of fancy pigeons – Nuremburg Lark, Damascene, Australian Suabian, Syrian Tarbesh, and British Show Racers and over the last 10 years has had over 15 National Champions. Colin also maintains 38 aviaries and breeds the less common species of Australian parrots and also Australian Fruit Doves. He believes that maintaining healthy captive populations of these declining birds is a vital part of their conservation. Colin established the Australian Pigeon Company in 1994 which produces a range of pigeon health supplements and medications that are widely used throughout Australia. The active competition of pigeon racing has lost none of it”s excitement for Colin and he remains an ”avian-tragic” being facinated by all things avian. He feels privileged to work with many of the birds that he sees at his clinic and finds being an avian veterinarian enjoyable and rewarding.

Hendrik J.M. de Weerd

Study at the Faculty of Veterinary Science in Utrecht, The Netherlands, from 1965 – 1972 graduation as veterinary surgeon. Also a licenced vet in U.K (MRCVS) ; Belgium, Ireland   and Romania. Started his “Veterinary Clinic Breda” in 1973.  After 6 years he took over another pet clinic   in Breda and 3 years later he opened a third pet clinic in Breda. Daily veterinary practise for pets and racing pigeons from 1972 tot 1987. From 1987 up till now treating only racing pigeons, worldwide. Owner of Belgica-De Weerd B.V., a pharmaceutical enterprise that produces veterinary medicine and feed additives for pigeons and racing pigeons in particular. Effective therapies have been developed for up till then unknown, at that time untreatable diseases for pigeons. The area of the practice was expanding from the Netherlands to  Belgium, Germany, France and the U.K . In the meantime dr. de Weerd is consulted from    all over the world. He operates a pigeon clinic in Colchester, close to London and cooperates with a large pets and pigeon clinic in Beijing in China. Lots of speeches have been given in practically all “pigeon-countries” all over the world. Numerous international decorations and functions like veterinary advisor of the Asian Federation of Racing Pigeons have been granted.  Honorary member of the 100 years old pigeon association at Tenerife. Also advisor to the German  ‘’Verbands Klinik” ( pigeon clinic) and the VMD in U.K. regarding racing pigeons. Member of the veterinary committee of the F.C.I. (Fédération Colombophile Internationale), International Association of pigeon fanciers. Conservator of the “Jan  Aarden “ strain, an outstanding blood line of marathon pigeons originally created by Piet de Weerd the world famous father of dr. Henk de Weerd. He was an Icon and “eminence grise” of the international pigeon world.