(Schaumburg, Ill.) May 1, 2006 — Gail C. Golab, PhD, DVM has been named Associate Director of the newly formed American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Animal Welfare Division. Dr. Golab most recently served as Assistant Director for Professional and Public Affairs in the AVMA Communications Division. She serves as staff consultant for animal welfare, human-animal bond, and animal behavioral issues and currently supports the Association’s Animal Welfare, Animal Welfare Advisory, and Human-Animal Bond Committees, She also served on the Animal Welfare Governance Task Force this past year, and was staff consultant to the Task Force on the Housing of Pregnant Sows.
With more than 20 years of involvement in the human-animal interactions field, including research and policy development, Dr. Golab’s expertise crosses species and is frequently sought by nongovernmental and governmental agencies, industry and academia. Dr. Golab assumes her new duties on May 1.
“Dr. Golab’s expertise and respect in the animal welfare community bring creditability to the AVMA’s new Animal Welfare Division,” said Dr. Bonnie V. Beaver, AVMA Immediate Past President. “She will play an important role in determining the strategic direction animal welfare takes within the profession.”
Formation of the Animal Welfare Division was a centerpiece of Dr. Beaver’s agenda during her presidency. Dr. Lyle P. Vogel was recently named director of the newly created Animal Welfare Division. He is charged with creating a team that can address the extremely complex animal welfare issues of the 21st century.
“I am extremely gratified that Dr. Golab decided to accept this promotion and become an important member of the new AVMA Animal Welfare Division,” said Dr. Vogel. Her dedication, experience and expertise are critical to the formation of a productive new team that can begin to address AVMA animal welfare goals in innovative ways.”
The Animal Welfare Division was created in part, as the result of animal welfare being named by the Executive Board as one of the top five strategic issues for the Association. The Executive Board approved the creation of a five-person division dedicated to devoting the necessary time, effort and resources to the animal well-being debate. Dr. Golab is enthusiastic about working within this new division.
“Ensuring the welfare of animals is the veterinarian’s most important role and responsibility,” said Dr. Golab. “Our new division, working closely with members of the Animal Welfare Committee and other AVMA leadership, will assist the AVMA and its members in finding the best possible answers to what are very complex ethical and scientific questions. Having the answers to those questions should help veterinarians make the most of related opportunities to improve animal care.”
“It’s also true that no one has ever enjoyed consistent success within the animal welfare arena unless they have been successful in building bridges among its diverse stakeholders. I look forward to working with the Association’s leadership, its members, Dr. Vogel and other staff to establish the pylons for those bridges,” Dr. Golab added.
A search will begin shortly to fill Dr. Vogel and Dr. Golab’s previous positions, Director of Scientific Activities and Assistant Director for Professional and Public Affairs, respectively.
Dr. Golab earned her PhD in biochemistry from Texas A&M University, and her DVM, with Honors, from the University of Illinois. After completing a medical and surgical internship, and following three years in private practice, she accepted a position with the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) as a scientific editor for the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Journal of Veterinary Research. In 1998, Golab joined the AVMA’s Division of Education and Research as an assistant director, serving as AVMA staff consultant for animal welfare, human-animal bond, and animal behavioral issues. In 2001, she became assistant director of the Association’s Communications Division where she continued to serve as the AVMA’s staff consultant on human-animal interactions issues and managed professional and public affairs communications for the Association.
Dr. Golab sits on the Board of Directors for the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy (a group that addresses pet overpopulation and related companion animal welfare issues), serves as the AVMA’s representative on the expert panel of scientific advisors for the Food Marketing Institute/National Council of Chain Restaurants Animal Welfare Program, is a member of United Egg Producers’ Scientific Advisory Committee for Animal Welfare, and is a frequent participant in the Future Trends in Animal Agriculture program developed by USDA-CSREES. She is a former member of the Board of Directors of the American Association of Human-Animal Bond Veterinarians.
The AVMA’s more than 73,000 members take their obligation to promote animal health and welfare seriously. They exercise their commitment on a daily basis by providing high quality medical care, playing a key role in the development of guidelines and standards that ensure proper stewardship of animals, and participating in educational and public policy efforts that promote animal well-being. Similarly, for 143 years, the AVMA has been the rational voice for scientifically based and compassionate advocacy on behalf of animals. For additional information on the AVMA and its policies visit, www.avma.org.