MEMBERSHIPS

To promote the best possible pet care and provide the most current and accurate information possible, the Veterinarians at Drs. Foster & Smith are members of the following veterinary medical associations and professional science-related organizations. These associations provide the most up-to-date information on a variety of veterinary medical topics through journals, continuing education opportunities, and contact with other experts in a variety of fields.

American Veterinary Medical Association

The mission of the Association is to advance the science and art of veterinary medicine, including its relationship to public health, biological science, and agriculture. The Association provides a forum for the discussion of issues of importance to the veterinary profession, and for the development of official positions. The Association is the authorized voice for the profession in presenting its views to government, academia, agriculture, pet owners, the media, and other concerned publics.

Association of Avian Veterinarians

The goals of the Association of Avian Veterinarians are to:

• Educate bird owners in the responsible care of their charges
• Promote the perception of companion birds as valuable, intelligent, and attractive pets
• Encourage pet bird ownership through increased availability of captive-bred birds
• Preserve species and their natural habitats
• Ensure companion birds are propagated domestically under conditions which provide an optimum quality of life
• Increase the competence and confidence in knowledge and skills of avian practitioners
• Support the benefit of birds and the public from communications and interaction between veterinarians and the suppliers of bird and avian products

Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians

The Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians is a non-profit international organization of veterinarians and herpetologists founded in 1991. The goal of the Association is to improve reptilian and amphibian veterinary care and husbandry through education, exchange of ideas, and research. The Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians (ARAV) promotes conservation and humane treatment of all reptilian and amphibian species through education, captive breeding, and reptilian and amphibian habitat preservation.

Association for Veterinary Informatics

Informatics is the scientific study of the gathering, manipulation, classification, storage, and retrieval of recorded knowledge. The goals of the Association for Veterinary Informatics include:

• Serving the membership as an educational resource
• Promoting the use of information technology and electronic communications in all aspects of the profession
• Developing and promoting standards in veterinary information management

Council of Science Editors

The Council of Biology Editors (CBE) became the Council of Science Editors on January 1, 2000. The new name, which was voted on by the membership during 1999, more accurately reflects our expanding membership.

CBE was established in 1957 by joint action of the National Science Foundation and the American Institute of Biological Sciences. Today, it enjoys close relationships with a number of scientific publishing organizations, both national and international, but it functions autonomously, relying on the vigor of its more than 1,200 members to attain the goals of the organization.

CSE is a leader in promoting ethical practices in science publishing; improves communications in the sciences by educating authors, editors, and publishers; enables cooperation among people interested in publishing in the sciences; and promotes effective communication practices in primary and secondary publishing.

Michigan Veterinary Medical Association

The Michigan Veterinary Medical Association was founded in 1883. Its membership consists of over 1700 veterinarians representing all areas of the profession, including private practice, academia, and industry. The primary activities of the association are member education, interaction with state government, public information, and member services. The misson of the Association is to represent the veterinary profession in Michigan, advance the knowledge and standards of its membership, and promote the science, practice and value of veterinary medicine for the benefit of animal and human health.

National Science Teachers Association

The mission of the National Science Teachers Association is to promote excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all. NSTA's Guiding Principles are to:

• Embrace and model diversity through equity, respect, and opportunity for all
• Model excellence
• Provide and expand professional development to support standards-based science education
• Serve as the voice for excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning, curriculum and instruction, and assessment
• Promote interest and support for science education, collaboratively and proactively throughout society
• Exemplify a dynamic organization that values and practices self renewal

Society of Aquatic Veterinary Medicine

The Society of Aquatic Veterinary Medicine (SAVM ) is a non-profit organization dedicated to veterinary continuing education in Small Animal Medicine and Aquatic Medicine.

Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Association

In 1915, a small group of veterinarians founded the Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Association. The goals established at that time continue to provide purpose and meaning to current members of the association. The mission of the Association is to assist Wisconsin veterinarians in profitably providing the highest quality professional and humane animal care by:

• Conducting an annual conference and continuing education programs for members of the profession
• Promoting veterinary research
• Promoting animal disease prevention and control
• Advancing the science, art, and business of veterinary medicine through a coordinated group effort
• Promoting humane care and treatment of all animals
• Informing the public of the purpose and role of the veterinary medical profession
• Taking positions on legislative and social issues affecting the profession
• Encouraging member participation in community activities and public service that reflect positively on the profession
• Encouraging inter-professional cooperation and advancement of veterinary medicine and related fields
• Upholding the honor and dignity of the veterinary medical profession

AWARDS

PetEducation.com is highly regarded as a leading educational resource among its peers and users. It has been highlighted in numerous technical journals and reviews. Among its achievements, PetEducation.com has received the following awards.

Award from Access Magazine

PetEducation.com received straight A's from Access Magazine in their March 23, 2001 listing of the Internet's best web sites, making it one of the few selected for the Guide's 'A-List' of sites that should be bookmarked.

Distributed nationally to millions of Americans through major market newspapers, 'America's Guide to the Internet' said PetEducation.com offered 'top-notch education' for pet owners, stating, 'Drs. Race Foster and Marty Smith have produced a wonderful, well-designed site to educate the public about the health of dogs, cats and exotic small animals.'

The print and online guide reviews thousands of web sites each week for their 'Best Of the Web' list, selecting only 10 - 20 sites for their prestigious list. Sites are awarded between 2 and 4 A's (stars) for quality, content, and appearance with very few sites receiving a four-star rating. PetEducation.com was one of only a few sites to receive a 4-star rating for the week.

Award from StudyWeb

PetEducation.com has been selected to receive the StudyWeb^® Academic Excellence Award for being one of the Internet's premier sites for educational resources for students and teachers.