Ohio Department of Agriculture selects Ohio's state veterinarian

Dennis Summers, Ohio's state veterinarian (Photo courtesy of ODA).

Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) has appointed Dennis Summers, DVM, DACVPM, as the chief of the division of Animal Health, with a responsibility to protect and promote the health of livestock and poultry industries. As Ohio's state veterinarian, Summers will oversee all operations for the division.

Initially joining the ODA team back in 2014, Summers started out as a field veterinarian for the division of meat inspection before serving as ODA's division of animal health in the same capacity the following year. Further, he was named assistant state veterinarian in 2018 and interim state veterinarian in 2021.

Prior to working for the ODA, Summers was a private practitioner in Vermont, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. His areas of practice included large animal medicine and surgery, majorly dairy, equine, and beef, but consisted of some small ruminants and exotics as well.

Born and raised in Muskingum County, Summers attended The Ohio State University for his undergraduate studies with a major in animal sciences, thus earning his Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture in 2001. He earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine studies at OSU in 2006.

Summers passed the board-certification examinations from the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine (ACVPM) in 2019 to earn him the status of Diplomate from the ACVPM.

Additionally, Summers serves as a captain in the United States Army Reserve as an army medical officer, and has 3 children with his wife, Angela.

Kristy Shaw, DVM, will serve as assistant state veterinarian and support all operations of Ohio’s state veterinarian and continue her position as emergency preparedness and disease programs coordinator to maintain the health and safety of Ohio’s livestock interests.

Reference

ODA director announces Dr. Dennis Summers as Ohio’s state veterinarian. News release. Ohio Department of Agriculture. December 7, 2021. Accessed December 7, 2021. https://agri.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/oda/divisions/animal-health/news-and-events/12-7-21-summers-named-state-vet