TVMF Impact Report
Dear Friends,
As we close the door on another successful fiscal year at the Texas Veterinary Medical Foundation (TVMF), I remain immensely proud and deeply humbled by the growth of TVMF’s community-based programs thanks to the generosity of our donors, veterinary professionals and nonprofit partners.
In 2011, we were just embarking with Meal on Wheels (MOW) on a joint vision to provide veterinary care free of charge to the pets of low-income, elderly, homebound clients and then in 2012, the TVMF PALS (Pets Assisting the Lives of Seniors) program was launched in Austin with just five volunteer veterinarian serving 40 pets. By the end of 2016, the TVMF PALS program had expanded to include Austin, Bryan/College Station and Dallas, with 17 volunteer veterinarians serving a total of 300 pets (and with more than 200 pets on waiting lists). The program continues to flourish as TVMF forges new collaborations with MOW in other Texas communities. In fact, I am so pleased to share that the TVMF PALS program most recently expanded into the Houston metro area in August 2017 with future plans for expansion across Texas in the years to come.
In addition to the TVMF PALS program, TVMF also has increased its support of veterinary students, expanded our Rusk Veterinary Assistance Grants and further developed its relationship with TexVetPets.org—a robust online portal through which pet owners are connecting with veterinary professionals for accurate, timely information on a variety of pet health topics.
As I look back on what we have accomplished in the past several years, I am honored to share these accomplishments and their impact with the very generous supporters who continue to make TVMF’s programs possible. It is only through your partnership that we are able to care for animals, advance the veterinary profession and serve pet owners. Thank you for all you have done to help preserve the human-animal bond here in Texas. I hope you enjoy reading about our shared achievements in the 2016-2017 (July 2016 – June 2017) fiscal year.
Warm Regards,
Chad Harris, DVM
TVMF Board President