A VETERINARY nurse specialising in caring for rabbits has scooped a top medical award.

Jo Hinde, from Basingstoke, works for the Rabbit Welfare Association Fund, striving to ensure pet owners can adequately care for the cute creatures.

Now she has been named the Blue Cross Vet Nurse of the Year 2014 for her tireless efforts.

The trained vet nurse currently volunteers for the charity where she helps owners improve their animal’s welfare by running education programmes focusing on living environment, diet and other benefits.

She was presented with the award at the British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA) Congress in Telford, Shropshire, after beating off competition from vets around the country.

Afterwards Jo, 35, said: “When I heard I was this year’s winner, I was so excited that I nearly fell off my chair.

“I’m very grateful to be nominated and absolutely delighted to have won.”

Blue Cross veterinary clinical services head Rudo Nikisi, who presented the trophy, said: “The number and standard of nominations this year was particu-larly high and it was a tough decision but Jo thoroughly deserves to win.

“She is clearly dedicated to animal welfare and really goes that extra mile to improve the lives of pets.”

Blue Cross provides veterinary and rehoming services for pets in its 12 rehoming centres across the country. Find out more at bluecross.org.uk.