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	Illinois Veterinary Medical Foundation

Animals Contributing To Society (ACTS) Award

Acknowledge an outstanding animal to celebrate the human-animal bond. ISVMA’s Human-Animal Bond/Animal Welfare Committee recognizes outstanding actions from Animals Contributing To Society (ACTS). Any ISVMA member, whether active, affiliate, life or student, may nominate an animal who has made an extraordinary contribution to its owners’ lives, its neighborhood, or its community.

The four separate categories of achievement are hero, volunteer, professional and human-animal bond award.

Categories of Achievement

Hero: The animal’s actions must have saved a human life or prevented injury.

Volunteer: The animal and its’ owner raise the quality of human lives by volunteering their time. Examples are volunteering to visit nursing home residents, hospital patients, schools, etc. Animals that are owned by and used for professional animal assisted therapy are not included.

Professional: The animal is kept and trained to be of service to humans. This includes seeing-eye dogs, helper dogs, assisted therapy animals as well as animals in zoos and aquariums.

Human-Animal Bond: The human whose acts best advance the understanding and awareness of the Human-Animal Bond in Illinois.

Criteria/Qualifications

1. Nominations can be made only by an ISVMA member.
2. The act/contribution must take place in Illinois.
3. The animal and owner must reside in Illinois.
4. The act(s) must have been performed, at least in part, in 2006.

To Nominate a Candidate

1. Complete the nomination form.
2. Submit a one-page typewritten letter explaining how the animal/individual qualifies for nomination. If desired, up to three additional one-page letters from others supporting the nominee may be included with the application.
3. Submit a 5” x 7” color picture of the animal and owner/steward.

Up to three one-page letters from others supporting the nomination may be included with the application.

Mail All Materials To

Illinois ACTS Awards
c/o Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association
133 South Fourth Street
Suite 202
Springfield, IL 62701

Nominations officially open on March 31, 2007 and will close on July 31, 2007. No late entries will be accepted with a postmark after than July 31. Entries will be judged by the members of the Human-Animal Bond committee. Winners will be notified in October and will be presented their award at the ISVMA’s Annual Convention in Peoria, November 2-4, 2007.