RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) is an Illinois based, non-profit trade association that represents veterinarians and the veterinary profession in the Chicago Metropolitan area; and
WHEREAS, the CVMA is one of the largest regional veterinary medical associations in the nation, with over 1000 veterinarians and 4000 support staff serving over 1 million pets; and
WHEREAS, the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association was established as an organization on August 7, 1896, under the original name Chicago Veterinary Society; and
WHEREAS, the founding members of the Chicago Veterinary Society met originally to form a veterinary society "for the mutual benefit of its members, both intellectually and socially, and for the elevation of the profession generally"; and
WHEREAS, at the time the Chicago Veterinary Society was founded in 1896, there existed two veterinary Colleges in Chicago; Chicago Veterinary College (1883-1920) and McKillip Veterinary Colleges (1892-1920); and
WHEREAS, the first female veterinarian in the United States, Dr. Mignon Nicholson, graduated from McKillip Veterinary College in Chicago in 1903; and
WHEREAS, one of the first female veterinary practitioners in the United States, Dr. Elinor McGrath, graduated from Chicago Veterinary College in 1910 and practiced small animal medicine for 37 years in Chicago at the Hospital for Dogs and Cats at 3247 Indiana Avenue; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Elinor McGrath has been posthumously recognized by the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association and Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association and was the first woman in the United States to join the American Veterinary Medical Association; and
WHEREAS, due to the rich history of veterinary medicine in Chicago, it has been stated by Dr. Phyllis Hickney Larsen, DVM, Past President ofthe American Veterinary Medical History Society and Former Chair of the History Committee of the Association for Women Veterinarians; that "There has probably been no city in the United States that has been more instrumental to the development of veterinary medicine than Chicago"; and
WHEREAS, the profession of veterinary medicine plays a critical role in the health and well-being of society, provides human-quality healthcare for more than 180 million beloved family pets in the United States, fosters the abundance and the safety of the nation's food supply by promoting the health and productivity of the nation's herds and flocks, makes significant contributions to the protection of public health through food safety and infectious disease control, and advances human and animal well-being through biomedical research; and
WHEREAS, the veterinarians of the CVMA represent a broad diversity of disciplines within the veterinary profession including, but not limited to general, specialty and emergency practice, shelter medicine, public health, regulatory medicine, research, industry and academia; and
WHEREAS, the veterinarians of the CVMA play an integral role in animal health, animal welfare, public health, and public safety in the Chicago Metropolitan area; and
WHEREAS, the veterinarians ofthe CVMA are an integral part ofthe animal welfare community in Chicago performing countless hours of charitable care and philanthropic contributions; and
WHEREAS, the diversity of the profession is also represented in the cultural, racial, ethnic, gender, and linguistic diversity ofthe CVMA membership and leadership; and
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WHEREAS, the CVMA focuses on community outreach through its public education, governmental relations, animal welfare, and One Health committees; and
WHEREAS, the focus of the CVMA One Health Committee is to foster the cross-disciplinary collaboration between animal health, human health, and environmental health at the local level; and
WHEREAS, the CVMA works collaboratively with the American Veterinary Medical Association, Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association; and with the University of Illinois, College of Veterinary Medicine; and
WHEREAS, the CVMA works collaboratively with Chicago Animal Care and Control, and Cook County Animal and Rabies Control; and
WHEREAS, the CVMA works collaboratively with the Department of Homeland Security, American Red Cross, and other key County, State, and Municipal entities in conjunction with the Regional Catastrophic Planning Team (RCPT), Regional Animal Services Plan (RASP) regarding emergency and disaster preparedness, and Illinois Veterinary Medical Reserve Corps (ILVMRC); and
WHEREAS, the CVMA helps advance the standards of excellence in veterinary medicine and makes critical and lasting contributions to the quality of care provided by its members to pets in the Chicago Metropolitan area; and
WHEREAS, the members of the CVMA include over 400 small business owners who employ members of the community, contributing to the economic base of the Chicago Metropolitan area; and
WHEREAS, the CVMA is observing 125 years of public service in 2021 through a broad-based celebration of veterinary medicine themed "CVMA 125th - Then and Now: Always Resilient," an anniversary year designed to honor the past and to celebrate and highlight the critical role the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association plays in the health and well-being of animals through organized veterinary medicine; and
WHEREAS, the people and animals of Chicago benefit substantially as a result of the presence and the contributions of the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association, this anniversary celebration is a timely reminder of the important contributions made by the CVMA in the promotion of human and animal health and well-being in the City of Chicago; then, therefore,
Be It Resolved, that the Chicago City Council on this 21st day of July, 2021, does hereby embrace and endorse this celebration of veterinary medicine, which has grown and prospered as a result of the efforts of the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association over the last 125 years, and in doing so, expresses its sincere and enduring gratitude and support for the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association; and
Susan Sadlowski Garza,
Alderwoman, 10th Ward
Be It Further Resolved that a copy of this resolution will be presented to the leadership of the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association as an expression of our recognition and appreciation.
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