The American Veterinary Medical Association has revealed the winners of three awards that will be handed out July 13 in Denver during the organization’s annual convention.
The awards and honorees are:
- Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year Award: Cynthia Otto, DVM, Ph.D., the founder and executive director of the Penn Vet Working Dog Center in Philadelphia. “Dr. Otto founded the Penn Vet Working Dog Center after being inspired by her work monitoring the health and behavior of urban search and rescue dogs while serving as a first responder for the 9/11 terrorism attacks,” the AVMA reported.
- AVMA Animal Welfare Award: T. Robert Bashara, DVM, the founder of Gentle Doctor Animal Hospitals in Omaha, Nebraska. “A long-time advocate for animal welfare, Dr. Bashara has had a national presence through his work with the Doris Day Animal Foundation, serving as Day’s veterinary consultant and as chief financial officer for the foundation,” according to the AVMA.
- AVMA Humane Award: Amanda Arrington, a non-veterinarian and the director and founder of the Pets for Life program at the Humane Society of the United States. “Pets for Life has assisted 130,000 pets to date, raising awareness about the needs of pets in poverty and helping pets owners keep the pets they love in safe, forever homes,” the AVMA stated.
The announcement coincided with National Pet Week, an annual observance held the first full week in May.
“National Pet Week celebrates the special joy that pets bring into our lives,” said AVMA President Mike Topper, DVM, Ph.D. “This is the perfect time to honor extraordinary veterinarians and other professionals who have dedicated their lives to advancing animal health, welfare and the human-animal bond.”