The Danish Animal Welfare Society presented its prestigious ‘Friend of the Animals 2002’ prize to Bioethics Director, Hanne Gürtler, for her work toward better living conditions for the 50,000 animals used in Novo Nordisk research.
Hanne Gürtler calls herself ‘Friend of the animals at Novo Nordisk.’ The 45-year-old has worked at Novo Nordisk for 20 years, since 1998 as head of Bioethics Management. This position is only found at Novo Nordisk, and Hanne Gürtler helped create it. Previously, she was head of the company’s microbiology department.

Novo Nordisk’s cooperation with The Danish Animal Welfare Society began in 1999, and is unique because it involves two groups that traditionally are seen as antagonists. However, in the case of Novo Nordisk and The Danish Animal Welfare Society, the partnership has resulted from a common, constructive interest in animal welfare.

And what, exactly, is animal welfare? When the two partners began their work, the answer was not clear. The result was the project ‘to improve the welfare of research animals.’ Leading behavioural researchers from around the world were asked how to make living conditions for research animals as pleasant as possible. How could they live as natural a life as possible in captivity?

Hanne Gürtler was the ideal person for the challenge. At home in the Danish countryside in Blovstrød, near Hørsholm, Hanne and her 11-year-old daughter Camilla care for more than 40 animals. They have 11 horses, five dogs, a half-dozen cats, goats, guinea pigs and rabbits.

“Animals help me catch my breath in these stressful times that we live in,” she says. “I care for the animals; they need food and shelter, so I can’t stay at work until late every day. I have something important to do. I have to go out and ride with my daughter, and we have animals that depend on us.

“But I work in another way. When I muck out the stable or spend quiet hours with the animals, I get my best ideas. The animals give me experiences and inspiration for my work. I don’t close the door behind me in Bagsværd, when I go home. I take my cell phone out in the stable, and I work and write best with a bunch of animals and life around me in my living room. I love it when I can hear all the animals snore!”