Mary-Elizabeth Ellard, DVM

Founded in 1978, the American Veterinary Medical History Society (AVMHS), is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to promoting research, study, understanding, communication, and appreciation for the history of the veterinary medical profession, especially in America. Membership is open to anyone interested in this subject.

The Museum Committee of the AVMHS is currently engaged in two long-term projects relating to veterinary artifacts, ephemera, and historic texts.

  1. To identify all facilities in the US that have any such items in their collection, and
  2. As such items come to our attention to make appropriate facilities aware of their availability.

If you have veterinary items in your collection, please, contact us at [email protected], so that we can include you in our online museum listing.

Also, we hope you will take a moment to explore our website and see the varied resources we offer. https://www.avmhs.org/

For example, do you have veterinary or animal husbandry items in your collection, but wonder what exactly they are or do? Do you want to explore the history of women entering a male-centered profession? Are you looking for an image of a local veterinarian from years past? Our website assembles resources to explore all these questions and many more.

Finally, are you looking to expand or to start an exhibit on animals in society, animal husbandry, veterinary care, the human-animal bond, or One Health (an interdisciplinary approach that recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health)? Our site provides quick information on historical journals, archives, and other pertinent references for researching these kinds of topics. We may even be able to connect you with people seeking to place important artifacts that need responsible curation and preservation.

Thank you for all that you do to help the history community thrive and tell a shared history in which everyone belongs. We look forward to being part of your work.