The North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) announced Pet Peace of Mind as the 2024 NAVC Gives Marquee Award recipient, as part of a new program from the NAVC created to support and advance the veterinary profession and wellbeing of people and animals worldwide. Pet Peace of Mind is a national nonprofit that enables people in hospice to keep their pets with them throughout the end-of-life journey and helps find new homes for pets after a loved one passes.
The NAVC announced the NAVC Gives inaugural award recipients during an award ceremony in January at VMX 2024 in Orlando, Florida. The NAVC launched NAVC Gives in 2023 with a $1 million commitment to fund awards that will be made on a year-round basis.
“Pet Peace of Mind is honored and humbled to be recognized as the first recipient of this prestigious award,” said Pet Peace of Mind President Dianne McGill. “This gift will fund the program launch for 10 new hospices which will continue to serve patients and their pets in perpetuity. I have the deepest gratitude for the caring hearts behind the formation of this compassionate initiative.”
“The human-animal bond is profound throughout life and perhaps no more so than at end-of-life,” said NAVC CEO Gene O’Neill. “For too many people, having their beloved pets with them for comfort and love at this time is not an option. Pet Peace of Mind keeps the Human Animal Bond alive and people and pets together during hospice and finds homes for pets in need of a new loving home when their owner passes away. Pet Peace of Mind’s work personifies what NAVC Gives is about and why we created this award to benefit the veterinary profession and animals worldwide. We are honored to recognize and support Pet Peace of Mind as the NAVC Marquee Award recipient.”
Based in Salem, Oregon, Pet Peace of Mind works through hospice partners to provide pet care services at no cost to patients and in some cases even covers the cost of veterinary care. Pet Peace of Mind volunteers are specially trained to provide in-home pet care assistance when the patient needs help caring for a pet and to help orphaned pets find a loving new home when necessary. With this compassionate support, patients no longer have to worry about their pet’s current or future needs.
The NAVC also recognized The Inner Pup as an NAVC Gives award recipient. The Inner Pup is a New Orleans-based nonprofit combating heartworm disease, prevalent in up to 80% of dogs owned by low-income families in this community, and offering access to veterinary care for underserved groups to ensure that pet health isn’t dictated by an owner’s income.
“Collaboration in the veterinary community is essential to face some of our most pressing challenges,” said O’Neill. “The Inner Pup, a 2024 NAVC Gives Award Recipient, demonstrates that with its approach in the New Orleans community. The Inner Pup offers a model on how effective partnership can help address barriers to care for underrepresented groups, bolster education among pet owners and promote animal welfare.”
Created in 2023, NAVC Gives is a board-directed award program that has been initially funded by a $1 million commitment from the NAVC. Through this program, the NAVC will recognize and support individuals, groups and organizations around the world that have made a significant difference in the lives of veterinary professionals and animals. Unlike most award programs that have a set timetable for accepting nominations, NAVC Gives will recognize accomplishments and notable achievements throughout the year based on the merit and impact of the application. Multiple awards may be given out each year and applications may be submitted throughout the year.
NAVC Gives builds upon the NAVC‘s long-standing commitment to philanthropic pursuits, which amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars each year to members of the international veterinary community through scholarship programs such as the Dr. Earl H. Rippie Veterinary Nurse Leadership Scholarships, the Michael J. Day AFSCAN Scholarship, the Colin F. Burrows International Scholar Program, free education subscriptions and conference registration, and other charitable donations.
