We are thrilled to celebrate our very own Dr. Jacklyn (Jackie) Ellis, PhD, CAAB, CSB-C, who has been recognized with the Animal Welfare Innovation Award for her groundbreaking work, Beyond “Doing Better”: Improving the Objectivity of Cat Behavior Assessment. 

This award, announced on October 21st at the annual Animal Welfare Conference in Ajax, honours individuals and organizations whose innovative efforts are transforming the way we understand and improve animal welfare — and Jackie’s contribution is doing exactly that. 

Setting a New Standard in Feline Welfare

When Jackie joined Toronto Humane Society, she noticed that while staff and volunteers were deeply dedicated to the cats in our care, there was an opportunity to bring greater consistency and clarity to how we assessed feline behaviour and well-being. Her response was the creation of a simple yet powerful tool: four standardized ordinal rating scales designed to measure fear, anxiety, and stress; response to petting; participation in play; and food intake. 

These 0–5 scales help caregivers track subtle changes in a cat’s behaviour over time, providing clear, reliable data that guides decision-making, informs care plans, and ultimately improves adoption outcomes. 

As Jackie explains in her research, “phrases like ‘she’s doing better’ or ‘he let me pet him’ weren’t clear enough to measure progress.” Her system ensures that every observation — from how a cat plays to how much they eat — is translated into meaningful, standardized data that supports objective, evidence-based care. 

Since introducing these scales, Toronto Humane Society has seen more efficient case management, improved welfare outcomes, and increased adoption success — helping cats find their way to loving homes more quickly and confidently. 

From Research to Real-World Impact

Jackie first shared her findings in her peer-reviewed paper, Beyond “Doing Better”: Ordinal Rating Scales to Monitor Behavioural Indicators of Well-Being in Cats, published in Animals in 2022. She has since expanded this work by developing a free online training program, allowing animal welfare professionals, shelter staff, and behaviour consultants to learn how to apply the scales with confidence and consistency. 

The course — Beyond ‘Doing Better’: Mastering Feline Behavioural Ordinal Rating Scales — is available to anyone, offering continuing education credits through both the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) and the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT). 

Leading Change, One Scale at a Time

Jackie’s work is a shining example of how compassion and science go hand-in-hand to create meaningful, lasting change for animals in need. By improving the way we understand and measure feline behaviour, she is helping other animal welfare organizations around the world to make more informed, humane, and individualized decisions for every cat in their care. 

We couldn’t be prouder to see her contributions recognized with this well-deserved honour. Congratulations, Jackie — and thank you for helping us all move beyond doing better toward truly understanding and supporting the cats who depend on us.