This year marks the 100th anniversary of World Animal Day, celebrated under the inspiring theme “Save Animals, Save the Planet!” — a call to recognise how protecting animals and their welfare contributes directly to the health of our planet and all who share it.
In honour of this milestone, the WVA continues its tradition of spotlighting veterinarians who exemplify compassion, leadership, and action in advancing animal welfare.
Today, we feature Professor Dr. Mangala Gunatilake, a veterinarian and professor in the Department of Physiology at the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. A pioneer in laboratory animal ethics and welfare, Dr. Gunatilake has dedicated her career to integrating humane values into veterinary education, research, and practice.
From developing Sri Lanka’s first ethical guidelines for animal-based research to founding the Sri Lanka Association for Laboratory Animal Science (SLALAS), her tireless advocacy has elevated the standards of animal care in science and inspired a new generation of veterinarians to view welfare as central to their professional mission.
We spoke with Dr. Gunatilake about her journey, the species closest to her heart, and her hopes for the future of animal welfare in Sri Lanka and beyond.
Question: What made you take an interest in Veterinary Medicine?
Answer: Since childhood, I have felt deep compassion and kindness towards all living beings, values that were strengthened through my Buddhist upbringing. With a strong interest in biology, I chose the science stream for my higher education, which eventually led me to pursue veterinary medicine at university. I was delighted with this choice, as it allowed me to combine my academic interests with my values. The clinical training I received was invaluable, giving me both the skills to care for animals and the opportunity to extend compassion and kindness to them in a meaningful way.
Q: What species are you most passionate about when it comes to Animal welfare and why?
A: During my practice as a veterinary surgeon, I focused mainly on small animals, especially dogs. Their friendly, loyal nature and their ability to relieve human stress drew me to them and deepened my passion for their welfare. Later, as a laboratory animal scientist, I particularly enjoyed working with rabbits, appreciating their unique characteristics and needs. In addition to dogs and rabbits, I have also worked with cats, rodents, and other small animals, each of which strengthened my commitment to ensuring animal welfare across different species.
Q: What regulatory achievement has Sri Lanka recently had with regards to Animal Welfare?
A: Although the draft Animal Welfare Bill was presented to Sri Lankan Parliament somewhere in 2007/2008, it has not yet been enacted, which remains a limitation in fully preventing cruelty to animals. However, Sri Lanka (Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo Ethics Review Committee in 2009 and the Sri Lanka Association for Laboratory Animal Science in 2022) has developed ethical guidelines to safeguard animals used in research, offering some level of protection. A challenge remains, as these guidelines are not nationally mandated, and therefore not all institutions follow them consistently. Through the Sri Lanka Association for Laboratory Animal Science (SLALAS), we actively work to promote awareness and encourage adherence to these standards during knowledge-sharing and training activities. As the founder president of SLALAS, with my team, we are working towards getting the guidelines approved by the relevant ministry.
“In addition to dogs and rabbits, I have also worked with cats, rodents, and other small animals, each of which strengthened my commitment to ensuring animal welfare across different species.“