Animal Welfare, Ethics and Policy Activities

The Animal Welfare, Ethics and Policy Signature Opportunity builds on the core of the original Ethics and Values signature program, but expands to focus explicitly on animal welfare in practice and on the policy challenges and opportunities that confront the veterinary profession.

Core Courses

The new signature opportunity retains the four core courses: Human-Animal Relations (first year), Law & Veterinary Medicine (second year), Ethics and Veterinary Medicine (second year), Euthanasia Workshop (third year) and the Ethics Case Study seminar (fourth year).

Selectives

Many selectives for first and second year D.V.M. students are offered jointly as MAPP and MCM electives. While some of the selectives are grounded in the three Center tracks (Animals in the Community, Animals in Research, and Animals in the Environment), others span multiple areas of interest.

Electives

A large variety of advanced and clinically oriented on-campus courses and off-campus opportunities are offered to third and fourth year students, including Emergency Response and Disaster Medicine and other offerings in the Shelter Medicine program.

Student Projects

Many opportunities exist for students to conduct research in areas of human-animal relationships, animal policy, and veterinary practice.  Student research projects focus on shelter medicine and veterinary forensics, pain management and refinement of animal use in research, and management of human-wildlife conflicts.

Externship Opportunities

The AWEP Signature Opportunity is closely associated with the Shelter Medicine Program, which is homed in the Center’s Animals in the Community track.

Special Events

All D.V.M. students are welcome to attend Center for Animals and Public Policy (CAPP)-sponsored campus-wide seminars in animal welfare, human-animal relationships, and related policies. Regional, national, and international conferences and special events related to animal welfare and human animal relationships will also be scheduled to facilitate attendance by D.V.M. students.