NC State Expert Praised for Improving Swine Welfare Care
Dr. Monique Pairis-Garcia, professor of global production animal welfare at North Carolina State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, has received the American Veterinary Medical Association’s (AVMA) 2026 Animal Welfare Award. The award recognizes outstanding contributions to animal welfare through research, education, advocacy, leadership, and public service.
Pairis-Garcia is the first recipient whose work has focused primarily on swine welfare. The honor highlights her efforts to improve pain management, welfare assessment, and humane care practices for pigs.
She said she is proud to represent North Carolina, the American Association of Swine Veterinarians, and an industry that has not always been widely recognized for its animal welfare advancements.
Since joining NC State in 2019, Pairis-Garcia has focused on developing practical welfare solutions that can be adopted directly on commercial farms. Her research, conducted in partnership with organizations such as the National Pork Board and the American Association of Swine Veterinarians, covers pain management, welfare audits, farm assessments, and humane euthanasia.
Her work emphasizes translating scientific findings into real-world applications that help producers improve animal care while addressing farm management challenges. She has worked closely with veterinarians, producers, and animal caretakers to promote evidence-based welfare practices.
Recently, Pairis-Garcia completed a yearlong sabbatical at the University of São Paulo in Brazil. During her time there, she helped establish educational programs focused on pig welfare and behavior, with the goal of improving welfare standards across the country's pork industry.
AVMA President Dr. Michael Q. Bailey praised her contributions, stating, “Dr. Pairis-Garcia has dedicated her career to turning rigorous welfare science into practical tools that improve daily life for animals on farms in the United States and around the world.”
In addition to this recognition, Pairis-Garcia was recently named an NC State University Faculty Scholar for her achievements in research, teaching, and service.
She continues to champion science-based improvements in livestock care, helping advance higher welfare standards throughout the swine industry both in the United States and internationally.
Photo Credit: cvm.ncsu.edu