2025 AVMA Public Service Award presented to Dr. Sarah Babcock
(SCHAUMBURG, Illinois) July 2, 2025—The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) today honored Dr. Sarah Babcock, president of Animal & Veterinary Legal Services PLLC and The Island Vet LLC as the winner of the 2025 AVMA Public Service Award.
The award, established in 1968, recognizes an AVMA member veterinarian for outstanding public service or contributions to the practice or science of public health and regulatory veterinary medicine.
"It is a remarkable honor to receive the 2025 Public Service Award from the American Veterinary Medical Association." said Dr. Babcock. "This recognition is deeply meaningful—not only as a personal milestone, but because it comes from an organization that has provided unwavering support, leadership, and community throughout my career. This award reflects not just individual achievement, but the extraordinary teamwork and collective dedication that defines our profession."
For more than two decades, Dr. Babcock has exemplified veterinary leadership at the intersection of medicine, law and public policy. After receiving dual degrees in veterinary medicine and law from a joint degree program at Michigan State University in 2004, Dr. Babcock has dedicated her career to advancing animal and public health on local, national and international fronts, leveraging her unique expertise to navigate complex legal, regulatory and biosecurity challenges.
Dr. Babcock’s public service career began in federal government in 2006-2007 as an American Association for the Advancement of Science and AVMA Science Policy Fellow with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security , where she worked in the Office of Science and Technology and for the Chief Medical Officer focused on global health security, international affairs, public health, emergency management related to food, agriculture, and pets. She followed that experience with a 10-year stint at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Health Affairs, Veterinary Public Health Branch Chief (2007-2008), Senior Advisor for Science and Policy (2008-2011) and Senior Advisor for Science and Policy and Global Health Security (2012-2016).
In addition to this work, Dr. Babcock served as a Brookings Institute LEGIS fellow on the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, where she supported congressional efforts on budget, trade, tax (nonprofits), and agriculture to include agriculture trade and animal health issues, global competitiveness in livestock production, and international animal product regulations.
Dr. Babcock founded and operates The Island Vet, mobile clinical practice in Boca Grande, Florida. and offers veterinary medical services with a focus on wellness, senior health, and palliative care to ensure access to care on the island.
As an advocate for education and ethics in veterinary practice, she leads Animal and Veterinary Legal Services, which offers RACE-approved training on medical-legal issues facing today’s practitioners. She has also served as an adjunct and visiting professor at multiple institutions to help train the next generation of veterinary professionals. Dr. Babcock is a frequent speaker and has published numerous peer-reviewed publications to help ensure her veterinary colleagues are equipped with the legal and ethical knowledge needed to navigate an evolving profession.
Dr. Babcock’s exceptional service has been recognized with multiple federal awards, including Certificates of Appreciation from DHS for her leadership in global health security and interagency coordination. She most recently was awarded the Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine Distinguished Veterinary Alumni Award in recognition for her career that has made extraordinary contributions to veterinary medicine beyond traditional clinical practice. MSU CVM Dean Kim Dodd describes her as “an innovator, a leader, and a force for positive change in veterinary medicine and beyond.”
Dr. Babcock has also been an active member of the AVMA for the length of her professional life, creating opportunities to help keep her colleagues informed of developments and ways they can improve practice and comply with regulations. In addition to her time as an AVMA extern, and an AVMA Science Policy Fellow she has served as a member of the Task Force on Governance and Member Participation, the AVMA Judicial Council, the AVMA Model Practice Act Workgroup and the AVMA Council on Public Health. At the state level, she has been an active volunteer with the Michigan Veterinary Medical Association since veterinary school, serving on the association’s Animal Welfare Task Force from 2004-2007. She also served as a state veterinary medical board peer reviewer.
"Dr. Babcock’s career reflects a profound commitment to veterinary medicine’s role in safeguarding public health and advancing animal welfare," said Dr. Sandra Faeh, president of the AVMA. "Her pioneering work across federal agencies, legal frameworks, and veterinary education is an inspiration to our profession. We are proud to recognize her extraordinary contributions."
To learn more about the AVMA Public Service Award and past recipients, visit https://www.avma.org/about/awards.
For more information, contact Michael San Filippo, senior media relations manager, at 847-732-6194 (cell/text) or msanfilippo
avma [dot] org (msanfilippo[at]avma[dot]org).
Serving more than 108,000 member veterinarians, the AVMA is the nation's leading representative of the veterinary profession, dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of animals, humans and the environment. Founded in 1863 and with members in every U.S. state and territory and more than 60 countries, the AVMA is one of the largest veterinary medical organizations in the world. Informed by our members' unique scientific training and clinical knowledge, the AVMA supports the crucial work of veterinarians and advocates for policies that advance the practice of veterinary medicine and improve animal and human health.