American College of Veterinary Behaviorists

American College of Veterinary Behaviorists
Name	American College of Veterinary Behaviorists
Abbreviation	ACVB
Formation	1993
Type	Professional association
Headquarters	United States
Region served	North America
Membership	Veterinary specialists

American College of Veterinary Behaviorists is a professional organization of veterinarians specializing in animal behavior who work with companion animals, production species, and wildlife. Founded amid developments in Veterinary medicine, the organization interacts with institutions such as American Veterinary Medical Association, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and collaborates with specialty boards like the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.

History

The College emerged in the early 1990s following conversations involving practitioners from American Veterinary Medical Association, researchers at Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, clinicians from Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, and behaviorists linked to The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine and North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Key milestones included formal recognition of veterinary behavior as a specialty alongside boards such as the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners and parallels with international bodies like the European College of Animal Welfare and Behavioural Medicine and the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists. The College’s development was influenced by policy discussions in forums such as the World Small Animal Veterinary Association and collaborations with shelters like the Humane Society of the United States and advocacy groups including ASPCA.

Mission and Objectives

The College’s mission aligns with standards set by organizations like the American Veterinary Medical Association, aims promoted by World Organisation for Animal Health, and educational goals similar to those of the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges. Objectives include establishing specialty certification comparable to the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, advancing evidence from institutions such as Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine adapted for veterinary behavior, and promoting welfare principles endorsed by Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and British Veterinary Association.

Certification and Membership

Certification processes mirror those used by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons and the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, with applicants often trained at centers like Cornell University, Tufts University, University of California, Davis, and Colorado State University. Membership categories reflect precedents set by bodies including the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, and include diplomates who have completed residency programs recognized by entities such as the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges and examination panels resembling those of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners and the European College of Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia.

Training and Education

Residency training pathways are offered through teaching hospitals such as University of Pennsylvania Veterinary Hospital, Cornell University Hospital for Animals, Tufts Animal Care and Clinical Services, and University of Georgia Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Training emphasizes clinical rotations, didactic seminars, and research components similar to curricula at Massachusetts General Hospital and Mayo Clinic adapted for veterinary trainees. Continuing education is provided via conferences and workshops with partners like the American Veterinary Medical Association Convention, North American Veterinary Community meetings, and academic symposia hosted by Wiley-Blackwell and academic presses affiliated with Oxford University Press.

Clinical Practice and Specialties

Clinical practice among diplomates covers canine and feline behavior problems seen in shelter systems like Best Friends Animal Society, referral services at universities such as Colorado State University, and collaborations with practitioners in private referral centers similar to VCA Animal Hospitals and Banfield Pet Hospital. Specialties include behavior pharmacotherapy drawing on literature from Food and Drug Administration approvals, behavioral modification protocols influenced by pioneers associated with John Paul Scott and institutions like the Animal Behaviour Research Centre, and interdisciplinary care involving teams from American College of Veterinary Surgeons and American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

Research and Publications

Diplomates contribute research to journals and publishers such as Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Applied Animal Behaviour Science, Journal of Veterinary Behavior, Wiley-Blackwell, and university presses like Cambridge University Press. Research topics intersect with studies from laboratories at Cornell University, University of Pennsylvania, Tufts University, University of California, Davis, and collaborations with public health agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on zoonotic behavior-related issues.

Advocacy and Outreach

The College engages in outreach paralleling campaigns by the Humane Society of the United States, ASPCA, and public education efforts similar to programs from American Veterinary Medical Association and Best Friends Animal Society. Advocacy work includes contribution to guidelines akin to those of the World Organisation for Animal Health, input on policy debates involving animal welfare organizations like the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and public health stakeholders such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and education initiatives at conferences like the American Veterinary Medical Association Convention and regional meetings including the North American Veterinary Community.

Category:Veterinary organizations