The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Foundation has approved 2018 funding of $701,723 for 28 organizations, projects, and programs committed to its mission of improving equine health and welfare. Since its inception in 1994, the foundation has distributed more than $5.4 million to support its mission. Some of the support, earmarked for helping to financially stabilize students’ transition into practice, funded 49 scholarships at $340,000. The disbursement also includes support for a record 10 equitarian (working equid) programs. Also funded were two disaster training and preparation programs at veterinary schools to include veterinarians, students, first responders, and horse owners, as well as an equine disaster planning session for veterinarian leaders and industry stakeholders. Among new programs receiving support is the Equine Welfare Data Collective, a collaborative effort to enhance programming for transitioning and at-risk horses, as well as iBooks at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine and up to four $20,000 first-time faculty awards for research projects. The recipients, by mission category: Benevolence Equine advocacy/Unwanted horses Equine Welfare Data Collective Unwanted Horse Coalition/Operation Gelding Program Equitarian (working equid) programs Equitarian Projects in Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Peru and South Dakota Equitarian Young Leader Development Scholarships Fast Horse Seminar and Herder Training in Mongolia Veterinary Agent Training in Haiti Working Equid Owner Education Program Disaster preparedness and relief Equine Disaster Planning Session Louisiana Tech University Foundation Disaster Preparation Training University of California, Davis, Veterinary Emergency Response Team Disaster Preparation Training Equine Research Research awards and projects AAEP Past Presidents’ Research Fellow EQUUS Foundation Research Fellow First-time faculty awards for research projects Education Programs and projects World Equine Veterinary Association Congress University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine iBooks development Equine Veterinary Student Educational Programs: AAEP Annual Convention student programs Focus on Students summer programs Student chapter Essential Skills Workshops Student chapter activities Equine veterinary student scholarships AVMA Congressional Fellowship Program Coyote Rock Ranch Scholarships Merck Animal Health Scholarships Northwestern Pennsylvania VMA Equine Symposium Scholarships Oakwood Charitable Trust Scholarships Winner’s Circle Scholarships (in partnership with the Race for Education, Platinum Performance & AAEP Foundation) Zoetis Scholarships For more information about the AAEP Foundation’s involvement in horse welfare, visit aaepfoundation.org and click the Our Impact link.
