Veterinarians push back on proposed rules for American College of Animal Welfare

National Report — Veterinarians looking to gain certification in animal welfare have two options: Australia or the United Kingdom. That could change as early as the first half of 2011 if the American Board of Veterinary Specialties green lights the formation of the American College of Animal Welfare (ACAW). Like any of the 21 veterinary specialty organizations, ACAW is intended to be an independent organization that advances the understanding of a particular field through education.

There is no argument over the need for such a college. But animal welfare has theoretical underpinnings and a place in public opinion that make the formation of a college ripe for debate. When ACAW opened up for public comment, some veterinarians were struck by a requirement that anyone seeking board certification must sign a form agreeing to the American Veterinary Medical Association's (AVMA) Animal Welfare Principles.

"I don't think people have a problem acknowledging the importance of animal welfare, and I don't think anyone would disagree that knowledge of the AVMA Animal Welfare Principles is critically important to anyone—whether you agree with them or not in their entirety—who pursues board certification," says Dr. Gary Block, an AVMA delegate for Rhode Island. "And one of my frustrations is trying to get a straight answer to the rationale for including this sign-off for this particular college, knowing that no other speciality college has ever required such a sign-off regarding AVMA Principles."

AVMA, on the other hand, contends ACAW really isn't associated with AVMA's Animal Welfare Division, and its activities remain independent of the new college. Because of it, Dr. Gail Golab, director of AVMA's Animal Welfare Division, declined comment when asked about this issue.

Block and others who are disappointed about the requirement are most concerned about agreeing with the first AVMA Animal Welfare Principle, which states: "The responsible use of animals for human purposes, such as companionship, food, fiber, recreation, work, education, exhibition and research conducted for the benefit of both humans and animals, is consistent with the Veterinarian's Oath."

"Principles two through eight basically say 'treat animals nicely and don't abuse them,'" says Dr. Barry Kipperman, who has been practicing for 22 years. "No one on the planet would disagree with anything in two through eight, but item one in my view has a lot of problems. Item one is the reason people like me would join the American College of Animal Welfare. Veterinarians with my sensibilities feel that there are present-day problems with animals on farms and how they're treated, with animals in rodeos, with animals in bull fighting, with animals in circuses."

Dr. Bonnie Beaver, president of the ACAW's organizing committee and a former AVMA president, says, "For many individuals, it's actually a misunderstanding of what that first principle says. If you read that principle, it doesn't say that you have to believe in eating meat, or having animals in circuses, or rodeos, or any of those types of thing. It says that you acknowledge that animals are used in those areas."

One of Beaver's biggest worries is that people are confusing the AVMA Animal Welfare Principles with AVMA position statements, and she also says there is confusion between the science of animal welfare and the politics of animal welfare.

The period for comments on the proposed ACAW wraps up Nov. 1. Kipperman plans on submitting comments before the closing date, he says. And Block collected 70 signatures on comments objecting to the sign-off requirement. The Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) accepted a letter to the editor that asserts an "organization cannot claim to be knowledge-based if it disqualifies competent candidates because of their personal beliefs." The JAVMA letter, of which Block is a signatory, also cautions that approving the ACAW with the sign-off requirement intact would set a dangerous precedent, allowing other specialty organizations to impose "philosophical requirements" on their members.

"We won't rubber stamp anything," Beaver says. "It is a stand-alone organization. AVMA's relationship to ACAW only occurs through the Board of Veterinary Specialties."

As of early October, though, Beaver says she has not received any formal comments expressing dissatisfaction with requiring candidates to agree by signature to the AVMA Animal Welfare Principles. She estimates that, if approved, the ACAW could have 100 applicants within the first three years, with that number doubling in the following years.