Whether you’re a cat person, a dog person, a rabbit person or a horse person, there’s one thing all animal lovers can agree on, and that’s the fantastic work carried out by veterinarians. Celebrate with your pet on World Veterinary Day by buying them a treat or a new toy to show them how much they mean to you as you appreciate the work veterinarians do to keep pets healthy.
On Saturday, April 28, the global veterinary community will come together to celebrate World Veterinary Day. Created by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and the World Veterinary Association (WVA), World Veterinary Day is meant to raise public awareness about the important roles veterinarians undertake.
World Veterinarian Day was created in 2000 by the World Veterinary Association to highlight and promote the lifesaving work performed by veterinarians around the globe. Each year, a different theme is chosen which helps pet owners to remember the importance of various aspects of animal care, and how vets can help, for example ensuring your pet’s vaccinations are up to date.
On this special day, why not raise a paw, hoof or claw to say thank you to our veterinarians.
The World Veterinary Association (WVA) is the world’s largest family of veterinarians, as well as the common voice for them all. Representing more than 500,000 veterinarians through 95 veterinary member associations on six continents, the WVA unites the veterinary profession at a global level. The WVA supports the work of veterinarians in diverse areas of medicine, research, practice, and outreach and is guided by its belief in One Health, which recognizes that humans and animals share the natural environment and create harmony with and for each other. The WVA envisions that collaboration between the veterinary profession and other professions can ensure that humans, animals, and the environment prosper together.
This Year’s Theme: A More Sustainable Future
Each year, the OIE and WVA declare a theme for World Veterinary Day. For 2018, the celebrations will be centered around focusing attention to the crucial role veterinarians play in the development of more sustainable animal husbandry practices, which improve not only the health of animals, but also the health and well-being of people and the environment.
“By implementing a One Health Approach, veterinarians are working together with other health professionals to improve and develop new production systems that are also respectful of animal welfare and the environment,” the associations said in a press release. “By doing so, veterinarians are contributing to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to reduce poverty and ensure zero hunger, good health, and economic growth.”
This year also marks the 10th anniversary of the World Veterinary Day Award. This award recognizes the most successful contribution by a WVA member association in celebrating the veterinary profession in their country. The competition is open to all WVA member associations, either alone or in cooperation with any other selected body.
“Veterinarians play a crucial role in the lives of pets and pet owners but are not always acknowledged for their hard work and dedication,” Chris Hennessy, publisher of American Veterinarian®, said. “We are thrilled to bring recognition to this profession so veterinarians feel empowered and encouraged to continue to enhance this field.” (American Veterinarian)
History
In April 1863, Professor John Gamgee initiated a meeting of veterinarians and professors of veterinary medicine from all over Europe. This conference attracted 103 veterinary professionals from 10 countries. Professor Gamgee initiated this meeting to discuss ways to fight epizootic disease (outbreaks of animal disease), and establish rules for importing/exporting cattle. This marked the first meeting of the International Veterinary Congress, which later became The World Veterinary Association (WVA).
World Veterinary Day was created by the WVA to celebrate the veterinary profession. Each year a theme for the event is chosen to promote animal health, which is tied to human health. This year’s theme is “The role of the Veterinary Profession in Sustainable Development to improve livelihoods, food security, and safety”. The next time you see your veterinarian, remember to say a big “Thank You!” – not only for caring for your furry or feathered friend, but for contributing to the global health of animals, humans, and the environment!
A lot has changed over the past 155 years!
Today’s Veterinarian
Today, the WVA represents over 500,000 veterinarians from around the world and holds meetings to exchange ideas, share experiences, and promote and develop veterinary medicine. The mission of WVA is “To assure and promote animal health and welfare and public health globally, through developing and advancing veterinary medicine, the veterinary profession as well as public and private veterinary services.”
Food security, food safety, animal welfare, and disease prevention (human and animal) have become a global concern with a global economy, making international partnership key. In order to meet the needs of our global society, the WVA partners with other international associations (e.g., The World Medical Association, The World Health Organization, and The Food and Agriculture Organization).
When you hear the word “veterinarian” the image that comes to mind is likely the veterinarian at your local clinic, and you may think that the work they do is limited to caring for community pets. This is not the case. They are likely engaged in the global veterinary community by being a member of a national or international association under the WVA.
Each year a theme for World Veterinary Day is chosen to promote animal health, which is tied to human health. This year’s theme is “The role of the Veterinary Profession in Sustainable Development to improve livelihoods, food security, and safety”. The next time you see your veterinarian, remember to say a big “Thank You!” – not only for caring for your furry or feathered friend, but for contributing to the global health of animals, humans, and the environment!
You may have heard the term One Health Initiative. This is a worldwide strategy for expanding the collaboration between physicians, veterinarians, dentists, doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals, as well environmental related disciplines. Human health is linked to animal health and environmental health. One Health is dedicated to improve the lives of all species by integrating human medicine, veterinary medicine, and environmental science. A few examples of how veterinarians work under
Veterinarians collect information and data which is then shared with the veterinary community. Their contribution to national and international veterinary medicine is vital in keeping animals, the environment, and humans healthy. Think of the current outbreaks of Canine Influenza Virus in North America. Without the dedicated work of veterinarians collecting and sharing information, steps to stop the spread of this infection would not occur.
Many veterinarians work for various global organizations that ensure food safety for human consumption. It is the job of veterinarians to inspect animals in the food production process. And it’s not just the “food to fork” in major cities and towns… think of the global rural areas where animals are essential for access to food and income. By preventing and controlling disease in these rural areas around the globe, veterinarians play an important part in improving the lives of the people and animals that live there.
On this day, take some extra time and thank your veterinarians, their technologists, vet assistants, and staff, for all they do for our pets, and for us.
