| Past Summits |
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The Veterinary Social Work (VSW) Summit is a unique gathering designed to unite like-minded professionals dedicated to advancing the human-animal bond and promoting mental health within animal-related professions. Originally hosted by the Center for Veterinary Social Work at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK), the Summit has long served as a collaborative platform for exploring innovative research, programs, and interventions. In 2024, the International Association of Veterinary Social Work (IAVSW) proudly assumed ownership, continuing the tradition of fostering connection, education, and progress in this vital field. 1st International Veterinary Social Work Summit | April 17-20, 2008 2008 was great, so we thought we’d do it again in 2010! Around 50 participants heard presentations from speakers like Joelle Nielson, Lee Zasloff, John New, Phil Arkow and many more! The first International Veterinary Social Work Summit was hosted at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville on April 17-20, 2008. Speakers included Susan Cohen, Catherin Faver, Stephanie Johnson, Christina Risley-Curtiss, Ken Shapiro, Bert Traughton, and Tracy Zaparanick. In addition to the four areas of VSW practice, presentations on diversity, spirituality, and teaching communication skills were also included. The first Summit had a total of 43 attendees including speakers and UT VSW staff and students. 2nd International Veterinary Social Work Summit | May 13-16, 2010 2008 was great, so we thought we’d do it again in 2010! Around 50 participants heard presentations from speakers like Joelle Nielson, Lee Zasloff, John New, Phil Arkow and many more! 3rd International Veterinary Social Work Summit | April 11-24, 2013 This Summit was the first Summit to have an additional theme: “Is there a role for social work in the care and welfare of animals?”. Additionally, this was the first Summit to accept abstracts. Keynote speakers were Dr. Temple Grandin and Dr. Hal Herzog and attendance was almost triple that of the previous two Summits. 4th International Veterinary Social Work Summit | November 2-3, 2015 For the 2015 Summit, the UTVSW collaborated with the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges to present the Veterinary Wellness & Social Work Summit, and over 200 people attended. 5th International Veterinary Social Work Summit | October 4-6, 2018 “Animals and Poverty” was the theme for the 2018 IVSWS. While the Summit has always been interdisciplinary, this time went beyond animal health and mental health professionals to include a keynote presentation by Dr. Don Bruce, to provide an economist’s lens on poverty for Summit participants. This Summit was also the first to offer working groups, time for groups of people to propose and work together on long term projects, which would spark what would become the International Association of Veterinary Social Work. 6th International Veterinary Social Work Summit | October 8-10, 2020 Due to COVID-19, the 6th International Veterinary Social Work Summit was held virtually. Over 200 people from around the world were able to attend and further the discussion around “Animals and Poverty”.
8th International Veterinary Social Work Summit | September 13-14, 2024 We welcomed 205 attendees from across the globe, representing every continent. This hybrid event brought together leaders and advocates to explore the future of veterinary social work through research, programming, and interventions. With a focus on advancing the field, the Summit provided a collaborative platform to strengthen the human-animal bond and support the well-being of veterinary professionals and animal welfare communities. Co-Hosted with Cleveland State University, this was the first Summit held by the IAVSW at a new location. Insert your text here
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