The Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine Community and Veterinary Outreach club has provided free exams and vaccinations to many pets in communities surrounding Auburn. We have traveled around Alabama to towns such as Montgomery and Guntersville where we were able to provide care to pets of families in financial need. While caring for the animals out at these sites, we were able to answer questions and provide animal care tips to owners. Additionally, we travelled to McCreary County in Kentucky where we delivered veterinary services to pets and distributed household supplies and toiletries to a low income county in the United States.

Rachel and Sydney (Co-Founders) became friends their first year of veterinary school when they randomly sat next to one another on the first day of class and have been best friends ever since. They took the Community Outreach elective together, a class conducted by Dr. Dawn Boothe, in the fall of 2019. As the class concluded Rachel & Sydney decided to approach Dr. Boothe about her interest in advising a club where more students could become involved in their outreach efforts. On January 23, 2020 the AUCVM Community & Veterinary Outreach Club was born. Through this club, members are able to provide more than just a semester of care to our neighboring communities in need. With a great response from the students and AUCVM family, heavy student involvement has allowed the club to successfully serve hundreds of underprivileged families and their pets.

Currently with COVID-19, we are unable to go out and provide the care to pets like we have in previous semesters. Safety of our students and the families of the pets we see are our top priority. Our goal for this semester is to still aid our community through supply drives and potentially informational presentations to others in our community in a safe manner.