David Waltner-Toews is an internationally celebrated veterinary epidemiologist specializing in ecosystem approaches to health and disease. Founding president of Veterinarians without Borders-Canada, he was awarded the World Small Animal Veterinary Association-Covetrus International Veterinary Community Service Award, which recognizes veterinarians who have exhibited exceptional acts of valour and commitment in the face of adversity to service the community. He was also the recipient of the inaugural award for contributions to ecosystem approaches to health from The International Association for Ecology and Health. Waltner-Toews is the author of more than twenty books of poetry, fiction, and non-fiction, including, most recently, "On Pandemics: Deadly Diseases from Bubonic Plague to Coronavirus" (Greystone Books, 2020) and "The Inter-Pandemic Backyard Chicken Book: a retirement memoir" (Doft Ivanovitch Books, 2020).