Dr. Crystal Heath–a veterinarian who’s bristled at inhumane treatment of animals throughout her career, and before, dating back to her childhood as a 4-H kid discovering the goats she’d raised would be slaughtered—recalls growing up in a rural part of Northern California, adoring animals and riding horses.  

Dr. Heath, a speaker at the Tampa Bay Veg Fest, Nov. 8–delivering a 1pm talk entitled, “Bridging the Divide Between Activists and Veterinarians” —observes that her 4-H experience, alongside some early exposure to some PETA literature, and members, helped shape her outlook and sensibility regarding animal welfare.

Horses were a particular passion in her formative years, and she recounts that, at age 17, she moved out of the family home, relocating to Carmel, to train horses, and had two horses while in college. Over time, Dr. Heath says, her feelings about horses shifted, and she no longer owns or rides them (though she remains involved in horse rescue.)

She opines on the defects of veterinary school education, hers and others’, where the current curriculum even at top vet schools—including Heath’s alma mater, UC Davis—involve dissection and killing animals. 

During her time as a vet student, Dr. Heath declined to participate in those activities. Part of her slate of advocacy seeks to eliminate those elements from vet schools’ curriculum, aiming to keep pace with medical schools, which have phased out procedures on animals in favor of digital modules.

Having put in stints as a shelter veterinarian, as well as at small animal practices, Dr. Heath explains that she’s currently devoting her practicing time to performing spay/neuter surgeries, reflecting her belief that concentrating on implementing those procedures as widely as possible, to help mitigate overcrowded shelters, or pet overpopulation overall. 

We also touch on, among many other topics…Our Honor, a nonprofit supporting veterinary professionals in promoting ethical practices for which she serves as executive director…how she would react to being described as a “whistleblower” and what those using that term was referring to…and a sneak preview of the lecture she’ll deliver at Tampa Bay Veg Fest.

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