Provide Your Input on HOD Resolutions, Proposed Bylaws Amendments and Discussion Topics

(Repost from the AVMA@Work blog)

The AVMA House of Delegates (HOD) will hold its Annual Session prior to the AVMA Convention in San Antonio. All resolutions and proposed bylaws amendments that the HOD will consider are posted on the AVMA website, and AVMA members are invited to provide their input on these items to their HOD delegates. 

You can look up and connect with your HOD delegates at  AVMA.org/MyLeaders. (Note: You might see an error message before signing in to view the full content of this page, but once you sign in using your AVMA member ID, the error disappears. We’re working to fix this intermittent error.)

• Resolution 3-2016 proposes revisions to the Free-Roaming, Owned Cats policy. The proposed revisions were developed by the AVMA Animal Welfare Committee with input from members and other groups (such as the American Association of Feline Practitioners and the Association of Avian Veterinarians). The revisions consider the impacts on cat welfare as well as on the environment. The HOD approved revisions to the AVMA policy on Free-Roaming Abandoned and Feral Cats in January 2016.

• Proposed bylaws amendment 1-2016, submitted by the North Carolina Veterinary Medical Association, would remove the bylaws requirement for the AVMA Executive Vice President (EVP) to be a veterinarian. According to the proposed bylaws amendment, the NCVMA believes that “future search committees and Boards of Directors should not be limited in their capacity [by the veterinary requirement] to find the most qualified candidates and elect an AVMA Executive Vice President who is experienced, effective, and exceptional.” The change would not eliminate veterinarians from holding the position. Dr. W. Ron DeHaven, current AVMA EVP, has announced his impending retirement, and the position is currently open for applications through June 8.

If additional resolutions or proposed bylaws amendments are introduced, they will be added to the HOD Resolutions & Bylaws Amendments page on our website. AVMA members, please provide your input to your HOD delegates on these items to allow them to best represent you in the HOD. (Again, please note that you might see an error message on this page before signing in, but it will disappear once you have signed into the website.)

The HOD will also convene its first Veterinary Issues Forum during the Annual Session. The Forum provides HOD members with opportunity to discuss veterinary-related issues and topics beyond those of resolutions and bylaws amendments, including those that bubble up through environmental scanning. The House Advisory Committee (HAC) has put out a call for potential discussion issues, and will select three topics of those submitted for discussion in the forum. If you’d like to suggest an issue, contact your delegates  and your state veterinary medical association or allied group. Once the HAC has determined the three issues, we’ll post them on the HOD Resolutions & Bylaws Amendments page and you’ll have an opportunity to provide your input on the issues to your delegates.