All Creates Great and Small... with these few words, veterinarian James Heriott tells a story... About the real drama of human compassion for animals -- a story that is retold every day throughout our state. You can easily understand an animal in distress. When you see an animal in distress it is often frustrating and frightening. You want someone to tell you what's wrong... and how to correct it as quickly as possible. That person is your neighborhood veterinarian, there to understand and sympathize with you.

Veterinarians know how you feel when your animal is sick. When you telephone, a veterinarian hears the worry in your voice and senses the urgency. A veterinarian shares your anguish when an animal's death is unavoidable. But the real challenge, of all those who care, is to effectively and efficiently reach the majority of pet and livestock owners in Idaho to prevent problems before they arise.

We all have a unique way of looking at animals. For some, they are a source of income. For others, they are cherished pets, often as important as family members. Whatever your reason for caring, you play a critical role in keeping your animal safe and healthy, a special caring that extends to many other animals in need throughout the state. That caring is the reason why the Idaho Veterinary Medical Foundation was established.

In the spring of 1983, a group of Idaho veterinarians came up with an exciting idea for expanding public awareness for all animals. They singled out the areas of emergency care, preventative medicine and surgical care. They formed and set goals for the Idaho Veterinary Medical Foundation -- a non-profit, tax-exempt corporation with an advisory board of seven veterinarians and two non-veterinarians.