AAEP Honors Welfare and Ethics Advocate Dr. Harry Werner with Distinguished Service Award

The American Association of Equine Practitioners recognized a past president who has guided the association in issues of welfare and ethics when presenting its 2013 Distinguished Service Award to Harry M. Werner, VMD.

The Distinguished Service Award honors an individual who has provided exemplary service to the AAEP or a similar organization to the benefit of the horse, horse industry or profession of equine veterinary medicine. Dr. Werner was honored Dec. 10 during the President’s Luncheon at the AAEP’s 59^th Annual Convention in Nashville, Tenn.

Throughout his 35-year membership, which included terms as president in 2009, treasurer from 1999-2002 and director from 1995-1999, Dr. Werner has advocated for the welfare of the horse and the ethical practice of veterinary medicine. He has chaired or served on numerous committees, councils and task forces. Currently he serves on the Welfare and Public Policy Advisory Council, President’s Advisory Council and as the AAEP’s representative on the Animal Welfare Committee of the American Veterinary Medical Association.

In addition, he is the AVMA’s liaison to the Unwanted Horse Coalition, helped initiate the International Forum for Working Equids and regularly participates in Project Samana, which serves working equids in the Dominican Republic.

Dr. Werner graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in 1974. Following four years as an associate veterinarian with Milkey-Davis PC, he established Werner Equine, a private internal medicine and emergency care clinic in North Granby, Conn., in 1979.

The American Association of Equine Practitioners, headquartered in Lexington, Ky., was founded in 1954 as a non-profit organization dedicated to the health and welfare of the horse. The AAEP reaches more than 5 million horse owners through its nearly 10,000 members worldwide and is actively involved in ethics issues, practice management, research and continuing education in the equine veterinary profession and horse industry.