World Veterinary Day as an annual celebration on the last Saturday of April since 2000 to raise awareness about the importance of veterinarians and their contributions to animal health, welfare, and public health. It is celebrated around the world through various activities such as seminars, workshops, public lectures, and social media campaigns. It is an opportunity to recognize and appreciate the hard work and dedication of veterinarians in ensuring the health and well-being of animals and humans alike.
World Veterinary Day: History
Back in 1863, Professor John Gamgee of the Veterinary College of Edinburgh, invited veterinarians from Europe to attend a meeting which later became known as the first International Veterinary Congress. The meeting was about epizootic diseases and a discussion of possible preventive measures. This congress became a World Veterinary Congress. In 1906, at the 8th World Veterinary Congress, the members formed the Permanent Committee whose aim was to serve as an organizational link between congresses.
Then, at the 15th Congress in Stockholm, the Permanent Committee and the members saw the need for an international organization and constitution. Hence, on the next Congress in 1959, held in Madrid, the World Veterinary Association was established. The mission of the World Veterinary Association is to focus on animal health and welfare, as well as on the environment and public health. Nowadays, the World Veterinary Association collaborated with other prominent organization, such as OIE, WHO, and FAO.
The World Veterinary Association has members from more than seventy nations and features national veterinary associations from all over the world. A new constitution was welcomed in 1997 and the organization was restructured. Each veterinary association which is a member of the World Veterinary Association pays membership fees.
In 2001, the World Veterinary Association established that there will be a World Veterinary Day celebrated on the last Saturday of April. The aim of the World Veterinary Day is to promote the veterinary profession and work on improvement of the animal and human welfare, the environment, food safety, and practices of animal transport and quarantine. Each year, there is a different theme of this day. For instance, the first theme of the World Veterinary Association was “Rabies” in an aim to raise public awareness about vaccinating and spaying dogs as well as preventing rabies.
The World Veterinary Association together with the World Organization for Animal Health decided that there should be a World Veterinary Day Award. This practice started in 2008 and its goal is to reward the best contribution to the veterinary profession. The Kenya Veterinary Association was the first to receive this award. Then, in 2011, which was the World Veterinary Year, the founding of the first veterinary school was celebrated.
World Veterinary Day: Significance
Veterinarians play a crucial role not only in animal and public health but also in environmental protection and sustainability. They work to ensure the welfare of animals in diverse settings, including farms, zoos, and wildlife habitats.
In addition, they contribute to the conservation of endangered species and the protection of biodiversity by working with conservation organizations and wildlife management agencies. By addressing animal welfare issues and promoting sustainable agriculture practices, veterinarians are helping to create a more sustainable future for all of us.
In addition to celebrations and events organized by veterinary associations and organizations around the world, the WVA also presents the World Veterinary Day Awards to honour individuals or organizations that have made significant contributions to veterinary medicine and animal welfare.
