146th Annual AVMA Convention in Seattle invites veterinarians to help clean up animal shelters Schaumburg, IL — Veterinarians will be giving back to the city of Seattle during the 146th American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Annual Convention – held from July 11-14, 2009, in Seattle, Wash. – by helping fix up two animal shelters and a horse rescue facility.
The event will be funded and overseen by the American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF), the charitable arm of the AVMA. This will be only the second volunteerism program – known as Our Oath in Action: AVMF Voluntourism – during an AVMA convention. Last year, the AVMA convention was held in New Orleans, and veterinarians decided to pitch in to paint and repair three local shelters damaged by Hurricane Katrina. The program was such a success – well received by both conventioneers and the community – that the association will repeat it in Seattle.
"We wanted to be a part of the cleanup efforts in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina, and so that's why we started this great program," explains Dr. Bruce Little, coordinator for the Our Oath in Action project. "Volunteering time at these shelters was so rewarding for everyone involved that we decided that it couldn't end in New Orleans. The Oath in Action program offers just two things, compassion and labor, and if we can utilize those two resources to help repair and refurbish shelters, then this program will be a great success."
This year's cleanup efforts will take place on July 10 and 11, putting conventioneers to work just as they arrive for the AVMA's 146th Annual Convention. More than 200 conventioneers will volunteer their time to paint a barn and animal shelters, build fences, relocate and rebuild a storage barn, prepare and wash cats and dogs for an adoption event, clean up kennels and outdoor exercise yards, and do what they do better than anyone else – work with animals.
"The Foundation is delighted to embrace these three shelters in Seattle, as our mission is all about promoting the health and welfare of animals," explains Michael Cathey, director of the AVMF. "If you are unable to attend and participate in this year's Our Oath in Action event, and you would still like to help in this effort or in any of the important charitable projects that the Foundation undertakes, please contact us."
The three shelters that will receive this labor include:
The Our Oath in Action Program is sponsored by Bayer Animal Health and Hills Pet Nutrition, which will be providing t-shirts, breakfast, lunch and transportation for volunteers during the event.
For more information about this and other AVMA programs, please visit www.avma.org. To get more involved in the programs of the AVMF, please visit www.avmf.org.
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The AVMA and its more than 78,000 member veterinarians are engaged in a wide variety of activities dedicated to advancing the science and art of animal, human and public health. Visit the AVMA Web site at www.avma.org for more information.
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