Building Public Understanding—One Conversation at a Time

Launching January 2026, NMVMA’s public awareness campaign will shine a light on how veterinary professionals protect more than pets—we safeguard public health, agriculture, and community well-being.

This multi-year, digital-first campaign will meet New Mexicans where they are—online, in classrooms, and at community events—to strengthen trust and understanding of veterinary medicine’s essential role in healthy communities.

Why This Campaign Matters

When the public understands what veterinarians do, they value—and defend—the profession.

This campaign is designed to:

• • Build trust between veterinarians and New Mexico communities.

• • Increase awareness of the profession’s impact on animal and human health.

• • Inspire youth to consider veterinary and animal-related careers.

• • Strengthen advocacy, ensuring the public looks to NMVMA and veterinary professionals for credible guidance on animal welfare and policy.

The Bigger Picture: Why Acting Now Matters

Colorado’s Proposition 129 passed—and with it came a wake-up call for our profession. The measure expanded who can legally diagnose and treat animals, despite strong concerns from veterinary leaders about training, safety, and accountability. What ultimately pushed it over the finish line was not better policy; it was a simple truth: the public didn’t fully understand what veterinarians do, why their medical training matters, or what’s at stake when standards are weakened.

This is exactly the scenario we want to avoid in New Mexico.

When the public isn’t informed, they can’t distinguish high-quality veterinary medicine from something that simply looks convenient. And when voters don’t understand the risks, ballot initiatives with real consequences for animal health and professional practice can pass without the profession’s voice being heard.

That’s why NMVMA is advancing a statewide public awareness effort—so that when future policy debates or ballot initiatives surface, New Mexicans already know:

• • What licensed veterinarians are trained to do—and why it matters for animal and public health.

• • Why safeguards and standards protect everyone, not just the profession.

• • Where to turn for trusted, accurate information: NMVMA and the licensed veterinary community.

Clear public understanding isn’t a luxury. It’s a strategic necessity.

Public understanding = Public trust = A stronger, more protected future for veterinary medicine in New Mexico.

What to Expect

• • 6 signature events throughout 2026, reaching youth, families, and pet owners.

• • Partnerships with schools, local media, and community organizations.

• • Low-cost, high-impact activities—led by NMVMA staff and volunteers.

• • Opportunities for every member to help, from online sharing to in-person outreach.

Get Involved

This campaign is powered by The Power of We—and that means you.
Join us as an NMVMA Micro-Volunteer to lend your time and talents in ways that fit your schedule. Whether it’s helping at a local event, mentoring students, or amplifying posts online, your participation helps protect veterinary medicine’s future in New Mexico.

Register as a Micro-Volunteer →