Category: Veterinary Professionals

2026 Legislative Update

The 2026 legislative session has begun! Here are a few pieces of legislation we are tracking as we advocate on behalf of veterinarians in Hawaii:

  • SB 874 – Requires written prescriptions on request. HVMA submitted testimony to ensure the law would not cause undue burden upon veterinarians.
  • SB 2158 – Establish Vet Workforce Development Special Fund and Loan Repayment/Scholarship Program. HVMA supports.
  • SB 2086 – Requires any health care professional being sued to inform the licensing board within 30 days of filing and allows for non-economic damages. HVMA opposes.

Want to track bills of interest? Sign up for hearing notifications so you can submit testimony. Make your voice heard by your legislators!

2/2/2026 Update: SB 2158 has a scheduled hearing on Friday 2/6/2026. Submit online testimony to support this bill that will allow state funding to go toward supporting vet school graduates returning to Hawaii to work in the state.

2026 HVMA Membership Renewal

The new year means it’s time to renew your membership for 2026! Why be a member of the HVMA? Your participation in local organized veterinary medicine makes our voice stronger. We actively advocate to promote Hawaii’s veterinary profession in the eyes of the public and the legislature. We support you and your staff by keeping you up to date with important news that impacts you as veterinary health professionals, maintaining online resources, coordinating local veterinary disaster response, and bringing top-notch continuing education in Hawaii. Your dues help to support all of this and more. 

Choose the automatic annual renewal option and never forget to renew your membership again! If you can’t remember whether you signed up for automatic renewals, feel free to email us to check before registering again. Automatic renewal option will be available until February 28. Your renewal date will be one year from registration.

We appreciate your participation and support!

Renew or apply today!

AVMA News – January 2026

Greetings from your AVMA delegates! We recently returned from the January House of Delegates meeting in Chicago, where we reviewed and approved several small updates to the AVMA Bylaws.

We also spent time discussing two resolutions. The first focused on the importance of early socialization and training in animals. While there was broad support for the intent, it was noted that the language was written broadly enough to include wildlife, zoo animals, and other species for which human socialization may not be appropriate. Because of this, the resolution was referred back to the AVMA Board of Directors for refinement, and we expect a revised version—with clearer species-specific guidance—to return to the House in the future.

The second resolution addressed castration in camelid species, an area where the AVMA had not previously had a formal policy. Although policies already exist for other small ruminants and pigs, this prompted an important discussion about anesthesia and pain management. Your Hawaii delegates proposed strengthening the language to strongly recommend anesthesia and pain management for camelid castration. While this amendment did not pass—largely due to concerns about keeping wording consistent across species—we continue to stand behind the recommendation. Camelids are typically castrated later in life, often between 18 and 24 months of age, which raises additional animal welfare considerations. Our plan is to return this summer with a proposal to strengthen the language across all applicable species, improving consistency while still allowing veterinarians appropriate clinical discretion.

We also had two topics for the Veterinary Information Forum. One focused on educational standards for veterinary technicians; no formal action was taken at this time. The second addressed the role of allied organizations within the House of Delegates. In addition to state delegations, the House includes representatives from allied veterinary organizations that bring valuable expertise from specialized areas of practice. These voices are especially important when we’re discussing niche topics, like the aforementioned camelid medicine. There is some concern that changes in membership numbers could affect continued representation for certain groups, so a task force has been created to explore ways to ensure these perspectives remain part of the conversation. The National Association of Federal Veterinarians has been particularly engaged in this discussion, as federal veterinary positions may be impacted by ongoing workforce reductions.

Our next House of Delegates meeting will take place July 9–10, 2026, in Anaheim, California, alongside the AVMA Annual Convention. We’re hoping to bring forward our proposed resolutions at that time. Before then, we’ll be reaching out through a future newsletter to gather your input—so please keep an eye out. If you have experience or insights you’d like to share, we would truly welcome your involvement.

As always, thank you for allowing us to represent Hawaii and keep you connected to what’s happening at the national level.

Carolyn Naun, DVM
AVMA Hawaii Delegate
cnaun@armsofaloha.com

Jenee Odani, DVM, DACVP
AVMA Hawaii Alternate Delegate

HDAB Update

Did you know HDOA is now HDAB?
The Hawaii Department of Agriculture is now the Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity. Find them at https://dab.hawaii.gov/. 

Here are some updates from HVMA Oahu representative and Veterinary Medical Officer Raquel Wong: 

Animal Diseases

  • Avian Influenza – HDAB has introduced a dashboard to follow HPAI testing performed by the Division. Dashboard can be found here.
  • Equine Herpes Virus – Multistate outbreak associated with a rodeo event held in Texas in November 2025. Importation of horses impacted with additional conditions for veterinarians to attest horse did not originate from quarantined area. Reference here.

– Diagnosis of EHV is reportable to the Animal Industry Division

– Encourage horse owners/caretakers to practice good hygiene practices,
especially if attending events

Animal Movement

California has change import requirements for dogs entering CA for resale or change of ownership. There are new timeline and document review requirements for this category of movement. Link to CDFA here.

Letter from the President – Winter 2026

Heather Kihara, DVM
HVMA President

Aloha, HVMA ‘Ohana!

The New Year is here, and we wanted to send a friendly reminder that it’s time to renew your membership with the Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association. 

Your annual dues directly fund the key activities that benefit you and our community:

  • Advocacy: We support legislative work specifically aimed at advancing your veterinary profession here in Hawaii. There are several bills in the upcoming legislative session that could impact you!
  • Continuing Education (CE): We organize professional development and educational events to support your ongoing learning. We are hoping to include more events throughout the year in addition to the annual conference. 
  • Network: We facilitate collaboration among Hawaii’s veterinary and animal advocacy groups, strengthening your professional connections. 

Please take a moment to ensure your membership is current. Renewing your dues provides the financial resources we need to operate and support our shared professional interests across the islands.

Thank you for being a part of the HVMA ‘Ohana! 

Aloha,
Dr. Heather Kihara
HVMA President 

Public Health Vet Joins Hawaii Department of Health

Ariella Barry, DVM, MPH
VMO, Hawaii Dept of Health

Please join us in welcoming Ariella Barry, DVM, MPH, who is serving as the new Veterinary Medical Officer with the Hawai‘i State Department of Health. She earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Kansas State University and her Master of Public Health in Global Health from Harvard
University.

Ariella has a strong interest in One Health and disease surveillance, particularly zoonotic diseases with high prevalence in Hawai‘i such as toxoplasmosis, leptospirosis, and brucellosis. She is dedicated to strengthening interagency collaboration across the state to enhance public health preparedness and response at the human–animal–environment interface.

Originally from California, Ariella is passionate about advancing public health through collaborative, evidence-based approaches that bridge veterinary and medical sciences. She also works as an Emergency Veterinarian. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking and going to the beach with her German Shepherd.

HPAI Detected on Oahu

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 has been detected again on Oahu as the migratory season starts in Hawaii. The October 2025 sample was taken from an ill migratory pintail duck found on the UH Manoa campus which died shortly after intake by the Hawaii Wildlife Center.

H5N1 influenza A is highly infectious among wild birds and poultry, and has been responsible for widespread culling of poultry flocks worldwide. As it has become endemic in the continental United States, HPAI infections have also been reported in other animals including livestock and cats. Human infection risk remains low and human cases have been primarily linked to direct animal exposure. 

Please remain cautious when dealing with wildlife, particularly any sick or dead birds. Remind your clients to not feed wildlife or attract wild birds near pets or backyard flocks, and to avoid touching any sick or dead birds. PPE such as facemasks and gloves should be worn if necessary to handle sick or dead birds.

Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity may be contacted for consultation on any suspected cases: 808-483-7100, Monday to Friday from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or 808-837-8092 during non-business hours and holidays, Email: dabic@hawaii.gov.

As seabird fallout season also arrives (Nov-Dec), the public can still help with lost seabirds: https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/wildlife/seabird-fallout-season/#response

HPAI Resources:

https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/animal-health-and-welfare/animal-health/avian-influenza

Avian Influenza
DOH, DAB, DLNR Investigate Possible Avian Flu Case in Waterfowl

https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/situation-summary/index.html

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/h5n1-hpai

CE- Hawai‘i Animal Law & Forensic Investigations Conference

We are pleased to invite you to the upcoming Hawai‘i Animal Law & Forensic Investigations Conference taking place January 8–9, 2026, at the ʻAlohilani Resort in Waikīkī.

This event is sponsored by the Hawaiian Humane Society, the National Animal Care & Control Association, Maddie’s Fund, the University of Florida, and the ʻAlohilani Resort.

We will be joined by Mike Wheeler, a specialist in animal law enforcement, and Dr. Adam Stern, an expert in forensic veterinary medicine, as well as other local and national experts.

If you are interested in learning more or would like to attend, please click the flyer below and complete the registration form provided.

Save the Date – Hawai’i Animal LawDownload

AVMA News – July 2025

This July, your Hawaii AVMA delegates traveled to Washington, D.C. to represent our state and participate in important AVMA business during the annual convention. It was a very productive and meaningful meeting.

We were joined by many dignitaries from veterinary medical associations around the world, who shared messages of hope, warmth, collaboration, and common challenges faced by our profession globally.

A highlight of the convention was the induction of Dr. Michael Bailey as the new AVMA President. Dr. Bailey is the first African-American to serve in this role, marking a historic moment for the organization. In his opening remarks, he emphasized the importance of professional advocacy, stating, “We must shape our own story instead of letting others shape our story for us.”

The AVMA continues to demonstrate a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as support for the federal veterinary workforce.

In addition to our House of Delegates work, we visited Capitol Hill to meet with members of Congress and advocate for issues important to veterinary medicine. We met with the offices of Representative Jill Tokuda, Senator Brian Schatz, and Senator Mazie Hirono to encourage their support of the Rural Veterinary Workforce Act and the Stopping Illicit Xylazine Act. We encourage all veterinary professionals to contact their representatives and ask them to support these important initiatives. These “Hill Visits” are made possible through the non-partisan AVMA PAC, and we encourage you to consider contributing so we can continue to extend our reach and represent veterinary interests on the national stage.

Additionally, several policy updates and resolutions were passed, including:

  • Pediatric sterilization
  • Therapeutic pet food claims
  • Sow housing
  • Declawing
  • Recognition of pain in animals
  • The Model Veterinary Practice Act
  • A new policy on workplace hazards in veterinary settings

Read more about the resolutions that were passed here.

If you have any questions about these topics or the work of the AVMA House of Delegates, please feel free to reach out to your Hawaii AVMA Representatives. We are always here to represent you and keep you informed!

Aloha,
Carolyn Naun, Hawaii Delegate
Jenee Odani, Hawaii Alternate Delegate

Meet a Board Member – Heidi Choy

Heidi Choy, DVM
Oahu County Representative

Dr. Heidi Choy is a small animal vet currently practicing at Oahu Veterinary Clinic. She is originally from Mo’ili’ili and graduated from Maryknoll High School. She received her Bachelor’s in Biochemistry from Santa Clara University and her veterinary degree at Purdue University in Indiana. After school, she moved to Seattle, where she spent six years working at Rainier Veterinary Hospital and volunteering at the Seattle Humane Society and PAWS.

In 2016, Dr. Choy returned to Hawaii to be closer to family. She spent many years as the treasurer for the Honolulu Veterinary Society.

Dr. Choy has a 13 month old little girl who keeps her busy! She loves traveling (especially to National Parks), hiking, solving escape rooms, and she has a Staffordshire Bull Terrier named Bowie.