Learn how VWB strives to integrate a sustainable approach to strengthening the health of animals, communities, and the environment.
VWB's Theory of Change revolves around the intrinsic value of animals and the interconnectedness of healthy animals, people, and environments.
Our organization invests in sustainable, community-centered animal health systems, employing a One Health approach that acknowledges the positive impacts of healthy animals on human health, livelihoods, and wellbeing. To achieve our goals, we focus on animal health and address key, interrelated elements:
Disease Prevention: Through local surveillance, community education, and disease control measures, including vaccination and treatment, we strive to keep animals and communities healthy, reducing the risks of zoonotic diseases like rabies.
Integrated Livelihoods: Collaborating with communities, we invest in integrated livestock and agricultural livelihoods that enhance food security, improve quality of life, and are resilient to climate change impacts, such as drought.
Equitable Access: We ensure equitable access to animal health resources and services, addressing barriers like remote geographies, colonialism, and gender inequality, with a focus on responding to the needs of the most vulnerable, particularly women.
Emergency Management: We partner with government, local organizations, and communities to understand risk, prepare for and respond to shocks, and strengthen recovery capacity for animals, humans, and local environments.
Capacity Strengthening: Facilitating knowledge sharing and exchange, we empower communities to harness existing assets and strengthen capacity for animal, human, and environmental health.
One Health Systems: We invest in leadership, governance, information, financing, and coordination of local systems, recognizing and responding to the intersections between animal, human, and environmental health.
The outcomes we seek include communities having sustainable local capacity to meet animal health needs, implementing surveillance and disease control measures, fostering sustainable livelihoods, ensuring equal access to animal health services, having disaster risk reduction plans in place, and building the capacity to respond to local needs related to animal health.
Our Theory of Change is grounded in the belief that by investing in these areas, we contribute to improved health and wellbeing for animals, the people who depend on them, and the shared environments they inhabit.
Veterinarians Without Borders North America couldn't do the work we do without your support. Whether it's a financial donation or a donation of your time, by improving the health of animals you will be working to improve the health and quality of life for people throughout the world.
Written by Janine Mitchell, Executive Director of VWB, in recognition of One Health Day (November 3), this article draws on the FAO Global Conference for Actions on One Health in Agrifood Systems and the VSF International General Assembly to explore what it takes to turn One Health commitments into action—from building equitable partnerships and strengthening collaboration to ensuring practical systems and accountability.
On September 30, VWB joins Canadians in marking the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day. We reflect on the importance of listening, learning, and respectful relationships in our work alongside Indigenous communities in northern Canada, and share resources for continued learning.
Watch a replay of our World Rabies Day 2026 webinar, which brought together perspectives from Alaska, Ukraine, and Laos to explore why rabies persists despite being preventable — and what stronger access, local capacity, coordination, and resilient animal and human health systems can contribute to progress toward ending human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030.
