ASV made a commitment to drive the advancement of shelter medicine in an inclusive way, giving our members the opportunity to be leaders in shelter medicine best practices. These awards recognize those members who have continued to push our mission forward. 

Meritorious Service Award (MSA)

Established in 2010, this award recognizes remarkable members of the Association of Shelter Veterinarians who have made significant contributions to the advancement of shelter veterinary medicine via leadership, public service, research, education, advocacy, and/or clinical practice. The ASV's intent in conferring this award is to bring attention to excellence in shelter medicine by recognizing those who serve as exceptional ambassadors of the profession. Current and past veterinarians, veterinary students, and affiliate ASV members are eligible; current ASV Board Members are ineligible. Anyone may nominate qualified individuals who are members of the ASV for this award. Recipients receive a plaque, a shelter medicine textbook of their choice, a $250 donation to a non-profit organization of  their choice, and are recognized at the ASV Annual Meeting, held in conjunction with the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners Symposium in the Spring. Funding is available to help cover the recipient’s travel expenses. Nomination packages for the MSA are to be submitted by email to info@sheltervet.org and must consist of a nomination form and nomination letter. The nominee's resume or curriculum vitae (CV) is highly recommended but not required. A professional summary can be used in place of a CV. Deadline for submission is February 1. Additional letters seconding, endorsing, or supporting nominations for awards will not be used in evaluating candidates, nor will self-nominations be accepted. The nominations committee will review the nominations and recommend a recipient to the ASV Board, and the ASV Board will vote on the recipient. 

The 2022 Meritorious Service Award was recently presented to Dr. Jeanette O’Quin, DVM, MPH, DACVPM, DABVP.  Dr. Jeanette O’Quin’s contributions to the field of veterinary medicine and her dedication to veterinary students and shelter animals are unparalleled.  Before joining The Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine, she worked for the Ohio Department of Health Zoonotic Disease Program. Her work includes international efforts to reduce rabies in animals and people and improving the health and welfare of companion animals and the communities that care for them. A founding member of the ASV, Dr. O’Quin most recently served as an editor for the 2022 revision of the ASV Guidelines, an intense, three-year project. Dr. O’Quin has shaped the field of shelter medicine with her grassroots efforts in addition to a long list of academic and outreach accomplishments.

Pictured left to right, Dr. Elizabeth Berliner, Dr. Stephanie Janeczko, Dr. Jeanette O'Quin, Dr. Erin Doyle

Previous Meritorious Service Award Recipients 

The 2022 Veterinarian of the Year award was recently presented to Dr. Tony Malone, DVM. Dr. Malone has shown his unwavering commitment to the veterinary community and to homeless, abused and neglected pets in Texas for the past 23 years. He’s been dedicated to shelter medicine for more than 13 years. As Medical Director at the Houston Humane Society, Dr. Malone has improved clinic programs and increased community awareness of vaccination and prevention medicine. Working in one of the highest need areas in the country, Dr. Malone helped achieve a 90% live release rate for the first time ever at two large animal shelters. Dr. Malone has trained and mentored more than 720 veterinary professionals in shelter medicine and high-quality, high-volume spay and neuter surgery, laying the foundation of the future for veterinary medicine.

Pictured: Ms. Esther Malone, Dr. Tony Malone
 

Veterinarian of the Year Award (VYA)

Established in 2018, this award recognizes remarkable members of the Association of Shelter Veterinarians who have been outstanding in their role as a veterinarian to improve community animal health and wellbeing. The ASV's intent in conferring this award is to bring attention to excellence in shelter medicine by recognizing those who serve as exceptional role models of the profession. Veterinarians serving in municipal, private, and/or non-profit shelters and other community animal endeavors are eligible; current ASV Board Members are ineligible. Anyone may nominate qualified eligible individuals who are members of the ASV for this award. Recipients receive a plaque, a shelter medicine textbook, and a $250 donation to an organization of their choice, and are recognized at the ASV Annual Meeting, held in conjunction with the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners Symposium in the Spring.  Nomination packages for the VYA are to be submitted by email to info@sheltervet.org and must consist of a nomination form and nomination letter. The nominee's resume or curriculum vitae (CV) is highly recommended but not required. A professional summary can be used in place of a CV. Deadline for submission is February 1. Additional letters seconding, endorsing, or supporting nominations for awards will not be used in evaluating candidates, nor will self-nominations be accepted. The nominations committee will review the nominations and recommend a recipient to the ASV Board, and the ASV Board will vote on the recipient.

Previous Veterinarian of the Year Recipients