Causes: Animals, Health, Philanthropy

Mission: -

Programs: The American Holistic Veterinary Medical Foundation (AHVMF), established in 2007, is dedicated exclusively to supporting research and education in integrative holistic veterinary medicine. We fund humane and cruelty-free research that does not inflict pain or cause harm to any animal. The studies involving animals use clinical trials to demonstrate effectiveness of integrative veterinary methods against disease/aliment using animals who already have the disease/aliment being studied. We do not fund studies that cause disease or harm. AHVMF has funded over twenty research projects so far involving veterinary schools, specialty practices, holistic agricultural organizations, and veterinary practitioners. Surveys of integrative veterinarians and pet owners have shown the area’s most important to them, and the focus of our research concentrates on those areas. There is an emphasis on chronic disease such as cancer and geriatric medicine, as well as vaccine studies and nutritional research. Examples of grants we have awarded include grants to Louisiana State University for a faculty chair in acupuncture, a grant for the first integrative medicine fellowship which began at the University of Tennessee and is currently being continued under the auspices of Cornell University, and support of an herbal research center at Florida State University. In addition, our scholarships support veterinary students interested in integrative holistic veterinary practice and in research while they are still in veterinary school. This helps to ensure we have future integrative veterinarians with the knowledge required to meet the consumer demand for a more holistic approach for the health of our beloved pets!