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Amplifying Joy is an important part of the R.I.S.E. National CVMA Program. This component celebrates the veterinary profession with pride and positivity, highlighting stories of meaning, accomplishment, and joy.
We invite you to share your story as part of our Amplify Joy component! Sharing your experience—whether via an article, blog, or personal reflection—will help uplift others in the profession and provide a positive counterbalance to the psychological challenges veterinarians often face. Your story could inspire and remind others of veterinary work's deep purpose and fulfillment. Do you have a story to tell? Please reach out to wellnessDEI@cvma-acmv.org to share your experiences with us.
Dr. Angela Oakley
Dr. Angela Oakley’s journey in veterinary medicine is one of unexpected experiences and meaningful advocacy. A 2012 Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) graduate, Dr. Oakley began her career in large animal practice in central Alberta. However, life’s unexpected challenges reshaped her path. After a transtibial amputation led her to use a prosthetic leg, she transitioned to working in small animal practice in northern Alberta. In 2021, a transfemoral amputation meant adapting to practicing from a wheelchair.
Throughout 40 surgeries, Dr. Oakley navigated her career with unwavering determination, but not without significant obstacles. She faced inaccessibility, blatant ableism, prejudice, and frequent refusals to provide accommodations—experiences that underscored the critical need for systemic change in veterinary medicine.
Rather than let these challenges define her, Dr. Oakley turned them into a platform for advocacy. The Accessible Canada Act aims to create a barrier-free Canada by 2040, and Dr. Oakley says now is the time to investigate how the act could impact veterinary practices and colleges. Dr. Oakley proposes consulting architecture and interior design sectors, to develop clear, practical guidelines for veterinary practices and be the grassroots voice to help provincial veterinary medical associations integrate accessibility requirements into practice inspections. She actively encourages others to reach out and include their perspectives and ideas in conversations and solutions for accessibility.
Dr. Oakley’s passion for creating a more inclusive profession has been evident in her leadership and influence. In 2024, she joined Drs. Latonia Craig and Jean-Yin Tan as a panel speaker on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at the CVMA Convention. During that same year, she served as the CVMA DEI Working Group Chair, where her dedication to fostering an accessible and equitable profession continues to educate and lead others to pursue tangible and meaningful actions. As a lifelong learner, she aims to enroll in the University of British Columbia’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion certificate program to guide her pathway of effective and transformative action, from which we will all benefit and learn.
Dr. Oakley is a Para athlete specializing in Nordic skiing and an active participant at the Steadward Centre for Personal and Physical Achievement. She is also a member of the Wheelie Peeps, a group of wheelchair users bonded by their shared experiences navigating life on wheels. The group was founded by Benveet Gill, an inspiring accessibility advocate and public speaker from Edmonton, Alberta, who stars in the CBC TV show PUSH. This series offers a glimpse into the lives of the Wheelie Peeps, including Angela, and emphasizes the importance of accessibility awareness for veterinary professionals when engaging with clients and the public.
Follow Dr. Oakley’s journey (@aoakleydvm) and engage her in conversations about bringing accessibility to the Canadian veterinary profession. Let’s make veterinary medicine a space for growth, joy, and positive change together.
Wild Rose Vets
Wild Rose Vets is a fascinating docuseries showcasing Indigenous veterinarians, beginning with Dr. Savannah Howse-Smith (Rocky Rapids Veterinary Services, Drayton Valley, AB) and currently following Dr. Allison Hay (Forest Grove Veterinary Clinic, Saskatoon, SK), Dr. Cori Stephen (Nechako Valley Animal Health), and Dr. Emma Jackson (Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society, Calgary, AB), as they care for pets, wildlife, and livestock across western Canada. The series highlights their expertise, compassion, and commitment to animal health while exploring their Indigenous heritage and cultural identity. Watching Wild Rose Vets offers veterinary professionals valuable insights into supporting Indigenous culture, beliefs, and traditions when treating animals who are part of Indigenous communities.
Canine Action Project
Many compassionate veterinarians and registered veterinary technologists/technicians (RVTs) volunteer with the Canine Action Project, a registered Canadian charity. This organization partners with First Nations communities and shelters in Saskatchewan, British Columbia, and Alberta. Together, they work towards achieving optimal health for people, animals, and the environment through an integrated One Health approach.
Dr. Montana Diabo
Dr. Montana Diabo is a Kanien'kehá:ka veterinarian whose journey serves as an inspiring example, encouraging Indigenous people to pursue careers in the veterinary profession.
Kim and Stu Lang Community Healthcare Partnership Program
Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) student veterinarians expand their perspectives, gain cultural awareness, and help remove barriers to veterinary care through the Kim and Stu Lang Community Healthcare Partnership Program at Kettle and Stony Point First Nations.
UCVM and Stoney Nakoda Nation Help Inspire Veterinary Careers
Faculty Of Veterinary Medicine (UCVM) student veterinarians build connections with the Stoney Nakoda Nation, inspire youth to consider veterinary careers, and deepen their understanding of the bond between Indigenous communities and their animals, and ultimately become more compassionate veterinary practitioners.
WCVM’s Veterinary Outreach Program
The University of Saskatchewan’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine’s (WCVM) veterinary outreach program is expanding its reach in northern Saskatchewan, providing essential animal health services to communities with limited or no access to care.
WCVM’s Diverse Club
The University of Saskatchewan’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine’s (WCVM) Diverse Club hosted Christina Whetsel (@deafdogtor) for an engaging "Introduction to American Sign Language (ASL) for Veterinary Professionals" session in 2021. Christina, a student at the Michigan College of Veterinary Medicine, was honoured with the 2023 Student Leadership and Service Award from the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities for her efforts in promoting awareness, inclusion, and accessibility in the veterinary college and the wider community. As a deaf individual fluent in ASL, Christina serves as her Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) representative in her class. Watch Fair & Impartial Equality For All – Inclusivity for the Deaf Community on Vimeo to learn more about Christina's work and initiatives.
Dr. Tim Ogilvie AVC Vet Camp
The Dr. Tim Ogilvie AVC Vet Camp, which launched in 1999 and has over 4,000 participants to date, is designed to give youth hands-on experience in veterinary medicine activities such as equine physical exams, surgical gowning, physical exams, and wildlife conservation. In 2024, the camp offered scholarships for Indigenous campers and offered a special pilot project to inspire Indigenous youth in Atlantic Canada to explore veterinary medicine as a career.
CMHA’s Push-Up Challenge
Dr. Phil Buote joined the Canadian Mental Health Association’s (CMHA) Push-Up Challenge because mental health is a critical issue in the veterinary profession, and he wanted to take action. A conversation with a colleague about a fellow veterinarian’s struggles, including a recent suicide attempt, was a stark reminder of how deeply mental health challenges impact the veterinary community. That moment solidified his decision to participate, not only to raise funds for mental health support but to help normalize conversations and break the stigma.
An Unforgettable First for Canadian Black Youth and Veterinary Medicine – Believe & Belong in Veterinary Medicine | Canadian Veterinary Medical Association
The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) was thrilled to participate with the Black Veterinary Association of Canada (BVAC), the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC), and the Canadian VIBE Network in Canada’s first-ever blendVET and North American Veterinary Community’s Pathways event held in Toronto on April 2, 2025.
This Believe & Belong in Veterinary Medicine event enabled bright, passionate Black youth to get hands-on with veterinary medicine, including shelter medicine, nutrition, and other specialties.
We’re committed to advancing a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible veterinary profession — through allyship with groups like BVAC, supporting anti-racism training, launching a DEI and accessibility web page, and bringing the voices of equity-deserving veterinarians into our work. Together, we’re building a profession where everyone truly belongs.
Photo: Dr. Kathy Keil, CVMA Director, Wellness, and DEI, guided students through their first-ever canine physical exam — stethoscopes on, pulses checked, and body condition scored. A big day of firsts!