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Service animals
If an animal meets this definition, it is considered a service animal regardless whether it has been licensed or certified by a government or an…
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Sheep and goat castration
Castration is a routine animal husbandry procedure used to avoid unwanted reproduction, prevent behavioral problems, and improve meat quality in sheep…
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Shipment of diagnostic specimens
Review and understand guidance for veterinary shipment of diagnostic specimens.
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State and local regulation of veterinary medicine
State and local lawmakers should defer to the professional judgment of veterinarians when considering proposals that impact the practice and scope of…
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Support of comparative medicine programs at the National Institutes of Health
AVMA recommends that NIH expand opportunities for veterinarians and veterinary students to take part in scientific education and training, research…
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Support for FARAD program
The AVMA supports appropriate funding for the Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank (FARAD) annually.
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Support for veterinary extension and outreach services
Veterinary extension and outreach services play a vital role to protect the health and wellbeing of animals, contribute to public health, and…
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Support for the collection of antimicrobial use data for antimicrobial stewardship
Antimicrobials are necessary tools for protecting animal health and wellbeing. Antimicrobial stewardship is successful only when all partners involved…
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Surgery or procedures performed on show animals
The AVMA recommends that procedures to correct injury or deformity for an animal’s welfare not be grounds to disqualify the animal from conformation…
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Surgical procedures for nonveterinary students
AVMA does not advocate for the instruction of nonveterinary students in surgical procedures.
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Swine castration
The AVMA recommends using swine castration procedures and practices that reduce or eliminate pain, including the use of approved or AMDUCA-permissible…
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Swine health improvement plan
The AVMA supports the Swine Health Improvement Plan pilot program.
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Tail alteration in horses
The AVMA endorses this American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) policy on Tail Alteration in Horses.
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Tail docking and teeth clipping of swine
The AVMA recommends the use of procedures and practices that reduce or eliminate pain associated with tail docking and teeth clipping of pigs. This…
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Tail docking of cattle
The AVMA opposes routine tail docking of cattle. Current scientific literature indicates it provides no benefit to the animal, and it may cause…
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Technologies for pathogen mitigation in food processing
The AVMA supports the use of pathogen reduction processes, such as pasteurization, irradiation, high pressure processing, and other science-based…
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Telemedicine
AVMA is committed to ensuring access to the convenience and benefits afforded by telemedicine, while promoting the responsible provision of…
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The veterinarian’s role in supporting appropriate selection and use of service, assistance and therapy animals
The AVMA encourages veterinarians to be familiar with the legal status and protections accorded to service, assistance, emotional support, and therapy…
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The importance of veterinarians in food safety
The AVMA recommends that the USDA's Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service take three actions to enhance the recruiting and retention of…
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The importance of federal veterinarians in emergency response
The AVMA supports the recruitment and retention of federal veterinarians to build a veterinary emergency response surge capacity.
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The veterinary profession's role in addressing the opioid epidemic
AVMA strongly recommends that veterinarians, legislators, state veterinary medical boards, and state pharmacy boards work together to create practical…
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The IAHAIO Geneva Declaration
The AVMA endorses the International Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations' Geneva Declaration.
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The IAHAIO Prague Declaration
The AVMA endorses the International Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations' Prague Declaration.
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The IAHAIO Tokyo Declaration
The AVMA endorses the International Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations' Tokyo Declaration.
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Therapeutic pet food health claims
The FDA uses enforcement discretion in overseeing certain pet food claims. While many of these could legally be considered drugs, certain claims are…