Press release: Royal Canin
To further its commitment to equity, inclusion and diversity in the veterinary industry, Royal Canin recently announced it is expanding its support of Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine with a five-year financial commitment.
Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine is the only veterinary medical professional program located on the campus of a historically black college or university in the United States. The Royal Canin donation will help promote diversity in the veterinary field by providing discretionary financial support for Tuskegee veterinary students.
“At Royal Canin, we’re driven to create the world we want tomorrow,” said Cecile Coutens, president of Royal Canin North America. “To achieve this, we must ensure the veterinary talent pipeline more accurately represents our diverse and changing population. We’re proud to support Tuskegee University in its efforts to increase representation in the veterinary industry.”
This new contribution expands Royal Canin’s commitment to strengthening diversity within the veterinary field. In 2020, Royal Canin became a founding member of the Diversity Veterinary Medicine Coalition which aims to increase equity, inclusion, and diversity among veterinary professionals. The business further supports other inclusion initiatives through numerous internal Associate Resource Groups (ARGs), including Pride, Tu Voz, and the Black Advisory Council.
“The Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine (TUCVM) appreciates this intentional and impactful partnership with Royal Canin. Of the thousands of veterinarians in the United States, only 2% are African Americans and of this number, we are proud that 70% are our graduates. Together, we are positioned to provide meaningful support to TUCVM veterinary students to sustain the legacy of training and educating underrepresented minorities as veterinarians in the veterinary profession,” said Dr. Ruby L. Perry, dean of the college.
In addition to its work supporting equity, inclusion and diversity, Royal Canin offers continuing education and eLearning for veterinarians on a variety of topics, including compassion fatigue, and is a strong supporter of mental health awareness programs as part of its effort to support the veterinary industry and the company’s veterinary partners.
Royal Canin is a leader in science-based cat and dog health nutrition. Founded by a veterinarian in 1968, Royal Canin has more than 50 years of experience in delivering individualized nutritional solutions. In collaboration with an expert team of nutritionists, breeders and veterinarians from around the world, Royal Canin places cats and dogs at the central point of the innovation process. The Royal Canin product line offers a range of diets based on size, age, breed, lifestyle and therapeutic requirements. Royal Canin diets are available at veterinary hospitals and pet specialty stores nationwide. Royal Canin is a subsidiary of Mars, Incorporated.
Located in Alabama as one of the state’s two accredited veterinary programs, the Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine (TUCVM) was envisioned in 1944 by Dr. Frederick D. Patterson, founder of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), and officially established at Tuskegee in 1945. The college has educated more than 70 percent of the nation’s African American veterinarians and has been recognized as the most diverse of all schools/colleges of veterinary medicine in the nation. The college’s primary mission is to provide an environment that fosters a spirit of active, independent, and self-directed learning, intellectual curiosity, creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, ethics, and leadership; and promotes teaching, research, and service in veterinary medicine and related disciplines.
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