The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) is reaching out to veterinarians and veterinary students across the country to request their participation in a symposium, “Can You Hear Me Now? The Conversation.” The event will be held Nov. 14-15, 2013 in Rosemont, Ill., and is designed to offer an opportunity for intraprofessional dialogue about animals’ welfare and veterinarians’ responsibilities to protect it.

Whether their interest is the breeding of pets, the use of animals in biomedical research, or current livestock production practices, Americans have rarely been as focused on animals’ welfare as they are right now—and they are using their passion to shape the future of animal care. Veterinarians, their clients and, especially, their patients have a lot at stake with respect to how and what decisions are made. Accordingly, it’s not surprising that veterinarians also have strong opinions and a lot to say about this topic. The challenge is to find opportunities to share information professionally, while gaining expertise and a broader perspective from colleagues across the profession.

The AVMA will choose 150 participants from the pool of nominees to attend the two-day symposium. The event is designed to provide an opportunity for veterinarians from across the profession—those working on farms, in laboratories, as government inspectors, in zoos, and providing services for companion animals—to have an honest and informed conversation about animals’ welfare.

The first day will provide foundation lectures on the scientific, social, political, and legal aspects of how and why animal welfare decisions are made. Participants will spend the second day of the symposium in roundtable discussions considering welfare-related dilemmas affecting how animals are used and cared for across all sectors of the veterinary profession