Category: Veterinary Professionals

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.

2025 HVMA Scholarship Recipients

HVMA would like to congratulate our 2025 scholarship recipients this year! We had a record number of applicants and it was very difficult to choose our awardees. Your dues help to provide these scholarships and support our local veterinary students – thank you!

Kylie Ebisuya
Washington State University

Kylie Ebisuya is a rising third year student at the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine who intends to practice in small animal clinical medicine when she returns to Hawaii. She has a strong interest in organized veterinary medicine and serves as the WSU Student American Veterinary Medical Association (SAVMA) President. She is also a WSU Clinical Skills lab peer instructor, a position that requires strong clinical skills, approachability, creativity, calm demeanor, and the ability to work with all types of people. Kylie received a B.S. in Animal Sciences and a B.A.in Japanese from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. While an undergraduate student, she worked at The Pet Clinic in Honolulu and was active in the research laboratories of Dr. Birendra Mishra and Dr. Jenee Odani.

Eric Fukawa
Oregon State University

Eric Fukawa will also be starting his third year at the Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine at Oregon State University this September.  Eric grew up in Mililani and is a proud graduate of Damien Memorial School Class of 2016.  His aim is to focus on small animal general practice with interest in small animal surgery. Eric is looking forward to coming back to Hawaii to serve his community when he graduates.

2025 HVMA 72nd Annual Conference Registration NOW OPEN

This year we are moving our annual conference back to Waikiki at the Sheraton Princess Ka’iulani Hotel! Labs will be offered on Nov 5-6, 2025, including Essentials for Fracture Repair for General Practitioners and Stabilization of Unstable Joints, Dental Radiography Positioning, Physical Medicine and Pain Management Workshop, and a hands on Laser Lab. See more lab details here.

Multiple track lectures will fill Nov 7-9, 2025, including ophthalmology, internal medicine, soft tissue surgery, anesthesia and analgesia, and an equine track on Saturday. Veterinary technician specific lectures will be offered on Saturday and Sunday. The HVMA Hui (Annual Business Meeting) will occur over lunch on Saturday, and we will be holding our annual social event with dinner at the Zoo on Saturday evening.

Registration is now open for attendees and exhibitors. Remember to log in to your HVMA online account to receive the discounted registration rates for active members. Discounted group room rates at the Sheraton Princess Ka’iulani will be posted soon and must be booked by October 1, 2025.  

Check out our conference page for more information as we will continue to post details such as the conference schedule and speaker bios. Please join us for great RACE-approved CE, our lively exhibit hall, food, and fellowship with your local vet community! 

AVMA July 2025 Resolutions

These resolutions will be voted on at the AVMA House of Delegates meeting July 18-22, 2025. Please send comments/opinions to our HVMA House of Delegate Reps: Carolyn Naun and Jenee Odani

Resolution 9: Pediatric Sterilization of Dogs, Cats and Rabbits

Resolution 10: Therapeutic Pet Food Health Claims

Resolution 11: Sow Housing

Resolution 12: Declawing of Domestic Cats

Resolution 13: Pain in Animals

Resolution 14: Model Veterinary Practice Act

Resolution 15: Mitigating Hazards in the Veterinary Workplace

One Health Lecture

Species-Spanning Medicine for Humans and Other Animals

Dr. Barbara Natterson-Horowitz will be presenting a One Health lecture sponsored by UH John A Burns School of Medicine. Dr. Natterson-Horowitz is a cardiologist and evolutionary biologist on the faculty of Harvard Medical School, Harvard University’s Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, and the School of Medicine at UCLA. Her research focuses on evolutionary biology and the natural world as sources of insights for human health and development. A leader in the field of evolutionary medicine, she co-chairs the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Board on Animal Health Sciences, Conservation, and Research (BAHSCR). 

Zoobiquity, her best-selling popular science book co-authored with K. Bowers, was a finalist in the American Association for the Advancement of Science Excellence in Science Books Award, a Smithsonian Top Book of 2012, and a Discover Magazine Best Book of the Year. Her recently published Wildhood chronicles the transition from juvenile to adult biology and behavior across vertebrate species. Dr. Natterson-Horowitz earned her B.A. and M.A. at Harvard University and her M.D. at University of California, San Francisco. 

Her presentation “Species-Spanning Medicine for Humans and Other Animals” will be held at the UH John A. Burns School of Medicine in Kaka’ako.

Friday May 9, 2025
5:30pm
Room 102

RSVP here