Usually reserved for non-veterinarians, Honorary Members are eminent persons who are appointed as a token of respect for their services to the AVA or to the veterinary profession as a whole.
Our most recent recipients of Honorary Membership are just 3 examples of leaders who have made outstanding contributions to veterinary science and business/leadership.
Honorary Members enjoy all the privileges of AVA membership in the Association and the Divisions, except those of voting and holding office.
The Committee, Judges and Board will look at the outstanding service to veterinary science in Australia across any of the following:
Eminent persons who are not veterinary graduates but have worked closely with in the profession over a long period, or scientists or non-scientists who have helped the Association in some outstanding manner.
Veterinary graduates where they have given exceptional service in Australia in a non-veterinary area in a manner that has brought great credit to the profession.
The number of awards given out each year will vary depending on the calibre of the nominations received and judged.
Divisional and Special Interest Group Executive Committees.
The AVA Awards Committee is responsible for receiving the nominations and ensuring that recipients have been judged as per the criteria.
The AVA Board ratifies the recipients before they are announced to ensure suitability of all recipients.
Secrecy should be maintained in relation to nominations.
It may be necessary to speak with the nominee to obtain information required for submitting but we ask that you do this discreetly and let them know that nominations do not guarantee success.
If not successful, the same nominee can be put forward for a further 2 years following their first nomination.
Please note that these nominations will not occur automatically. Subsequent nominations must be resubmitted to ensure that all relevant information is accurate and up to date.
After 2 years the nominator will have to apply to the Awards Committee (via Peta Bortfield) to request consideration to be able to submit another nomination.
The Awards Committee will not provide feedback on the nominations as they are confidential.