Vet Tail Views

Welcome to the IVMA’s Vet Tail View blog.  We are excited to offer you information on a variety of topics and issues of import to veterinary medicine, clients, pets, animals, public health, and animal welfare. 

The topics and ideas are endless.  We think that’s because animals are woven through so many parts of our lives.  Animals provide us with love, companionship, fiber, education and the advancement of knowledge.  Equally as important are the doctors who care for these animals – veterinarians. 

The Indiana Veterinary Medical Association is the “human side of animal health” ~ assisting veterinarians with practice, education, and knowledge.  To start off our blog, the IVMA shares with you the following:

IVMA One Welfare Principles

Adopted by the Indiana Veterinary Medical Association Board of Directors

September 5, 2013

Humans have a unique responsibility to be wise stewards of animals.  This relates to how we care for the environment we share with wildlife and to the husbandry of domestic animals used for food, fiber and companionship.  The best science available from the fields of biology, behavioral science and other disciplines should be used to make legitimate welfare determinations for animals.

As veterinarians, we endorse the following eight “IVMA One Welfare” principles, founded on our education, experience, commitment to and compassion for animals:

    1.  Animals are capable of feeling pain and distress, and should be treated with respect.

    2.  Responsible stewardship of animals used for human purposes is consistent with the Veterinarian’s Oath.  The animals’ interests must be thoughtfully considered by individuals and society when determining acceptable care and use.  This requires the application of the best scientific knowledge, guided by applicable ethical values. 

    3.  Animals should be provided with water, nutrition, and an environment appropriate to their care and use, with consideration for their safety, health and species-specific biological needs and behavior.

    4.  Whether used for food and fiber production, recreation, companionship, transportation, work, education, or the advancement of scientific knowledge, the use of animals should always be balanced against the greater benefit to other animals, humans, and society.

    5.   Responsible animal stewardship minimizes fear, pain, stress and suffering.

    6.  Animal owners and caretakers must provide for the animal’s timely and appropriate medical care by licensed veterinarians.

    7.  Reproductive management of animal populations should be socially responsible and scientifically prudent.

    8.  Animals should be provided a humane death by a recognized humane method when their quality of life is poor and not correctable or as part of the processing of animals for human use.