AVMA, Auxiliary celebrate National Pet Week

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The AVMA is celebrating "A Lifetime of Love" again for National Pet Week 2018, May 6-12, and this year's theme for the Auxiliary to the AVMA is "Barks, Purrs, Tweets, Neighs … Pets Speak Love Many Ways."

The AVMA and the AVMA Auxiliary created National Pet Week in 1981 to foster responsible pet ownership, recognize the human-animal bond, and increase public awareness of veterinary medicine.

To help AVMA members mark the occasion, the Association provides a member toolkit at www.avma.org/petweek. The toolkit features images and posts for social media, logos, ways to observe the event in the clinic, and promotional marketing ideas. Through April 27, clinic owners can order a free poster for their clinic at jav.ma/AVMAposter.

A toolkit for AVMA members includes images such as this one to share on social media.

The Association has chosen a focus for each day of National Pet Week, starting with selecting the right pet for the family. The focus for each day is as follows:

  • Sunday: Choose well. Commit for life.
  • Monday: Socialize now. New doesn't have to be scary.
  • Tuesday: Exercise body. Exercise mind.
  • Wednesday: Love your pet? See your vet!
  • Thursday: Pet population control: Know your role.
  • Friday: Emergencies happen. Be prepared.
  • Saturday: Give them a lifetime of love.

The National Pet Week website at www.petweek.org is focusing on messaging to the public The AVMA will be conducting a campaign on social media, too.

Also during National Pet Week this year, the AVMA plans to announce the winners of the Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year Award, AVMA Animal Welfare Award, and AVMA Humane Award. Merck Animal Health is sponsoring the awards, which will be presented at AVMA Convention 2018 this July in Denver.

Gracie Babin's artwork won the AVMA Auxiliary's poster contest for National Pet Week 2018.

Last year, the Auxiliary held its annual poster and writing contests to generate promotional materials for National Pet Week 2018.

Gracie Babin of Hammond, Louisiana, was in fifth grade when she submitted the accompanying artwork that won the poster contest. Spencer Williams of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was in 12th grade when he submitted the following poem that won the writing contest:

Barks, Purrs, Tweets, Neighs
Pets speak love many ways.
Chirps, squeaks, bellows, trills
Pets give you so many thrills!
Croaks, coos, quacks, clicks
Pets will reward you with a shower of licks!

The Auxiliary is selling the 2018 poster for National Pet Week as well as pencils, bookmarks, balloons, a children's book, a cookbook, and a blanket. The order form is at www.avmaaux.org/national-pet-week.

On the same page are details about the poster and writing contests for National Pet Week 2019. The theme will be "More than a Pet, More than a Friend ... Family." June 18 is the postmark deadline. The contests are open to students in kindergarten through 12th grade.