AVMA admits veterinary acupuncture academy into House of Delegates

SCHAUMBURG, Ill., Jan. 16, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- At their January 11^th meeting, American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) House of Delegates (HOD) voted to admit the American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture (AAVA) into the HOD as a constituent allied veterinary organization.

The AVMA-HOD is comprised of AVMA members from 70 state, territorial and allied veterinary medical groups. Association policies that affect the practice of veterinary medicine are set by HOD delegates and alternative delegates from each organization.

"I am pleased to welcome the AAVA and its members into the AVMA House of Delegates," says Dr. Clark K. Fobian, president of the AVMA. "Admitting the AAVA into the house will foster greater communication between this organization's membership and the rest of the veterinary community."

"The AAVA represents a growing practice area among veterinarians and represents a general population of practitioners that cross state lines and species and practice types. We are comprised of educators, AVMA-recognized specialties, and small animal, equine, farm animal, avian, and pocket pet practitioners," says Dr. Ken

Ninomiya, president of the AAVA. "Our contribution to the AVMA House of Delegates will benefit AVMA by voicing a wide spectrum of practitioners' views."

The AAVA has over 900 members, and its mission statement is: "To improve animal health care by the advancement of veterinary acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine and Traditional Asian Medicine through education, research and leadership."

Veterinary acupuncture is a relatively young but fast growing practice area of veterinary medicine. Veterinarians in the United States began adopting veterinary acupuncture in the 1970s. Since the mid-1990s, however, acupuncture training programs have experienced increased enrollments every year, according to the AAVA.

For more information, visit www.avma.org.                                              

The AVMA, founded in 1863, is one of the oldest and largest veterinary medical organizations in the world, with more than 85,000 member veterinarians worldwide engaged in a wide variety of professional activities and dedicated to the art and science of veterinary medicine.

SOURCE American Veterinary Medical Association