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Companions and Animals for Reform and Equity (CARE)
Launches Veterinary Advisory Committee
Championing Veterinary CARE and Equity in Underserved BIPOC Communities

Baltimore, MD. (January 22, 2022) – Companions and Animals for Reform and Equity (CARE) is proud to announce the creation of a new veterinary committee that will help cultivate the human and animal bond while providing preventative access to veterinary CARE. This group will lead the discussion around human and animal well-being inside schools to support underserved BIPOC communities and their pets across the United States. The group will be also tasked with devising strategies to support veterinary programs in neighborhoods not served by traditional animal welfare nonprofits or veterinary schools.

The committee will also provide guidance in the development and implementation of several CARE Community Clinics across the country, including Atlanta, Philadelphia and Minnesota, which are providing resources for under resourced pet owners. The group will provide thought leadership and support for the annual Dr. Jodie G Blackwell Scholarship Fund, which was created in 2021 to help further the education of Black veterinary students. Members of the committee hope to guide other efforts that includes organizing student-led veterinary clubs and creating resource guides for veterinary students.

Dr. Azalia Boyd will serve as the committee’s first chair and is a double graduate of a historically black college and university, Tuskegee University. There, she received a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine and a Bachelor of Science in Animal and Poultry Science. Upon graduation, she served as an associate at multiple clinics and hospitals in metro Atlanta, where she held leadership positions as medical director and mentor.

“Every day I have the opportunity to touch a very small part of the world and affect the lives and happiness of people and pets,” says Dr. Boyd. She is excited to be part of this groundbreaking group, to further her unwavering compassion to build a positive and lasting effect on the world.

The committee is an invitation-only, volunteer-based committee that gathers once a quarter. All members are required to take CARE’s Oath which prioritizes the interest of human and animal well-being.

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Companions and Animals for Reform and Equity is a 501©3 nonprofit that addresses organizational and personal biases within animal welfare. The mission is to bring diverse voices to the industry while also advocating for a more inclusive path to pet adoption. CARE believes in using evidence-based tools, narratives, and insights to inspire organizations to be more inclusive and less biased. It is all an effort to save more companion animal lives.