Our Mission & Vision | Veterinarians Without Borders
Skip to Main Content

Our Mission & Vision

A bush plane flying in over the Kenyan countryside. Cattle and grass huts are in the foreground.

Guided by a shared vision of healthier communities and ecosystems, our mission and principles shape how we work, partner, and create lasting impact.

Our Mission & Vision

Our mission is to strengthen animal health and welfare to build more resilient communities. We do this by enhancing veterinary care, bolstering community disaster response and recovery, championing sustainable livelihoods, and improving the well-being of animals, humans, and ecosystems worldwide.

Our vision is a future where animals, communities, and ecosystems thrive sustainably through the One Health model, promoting the well-being of all life and environments through education, accessible veterinary care, local wisdom, and global collaboration.

Our Principles

  • One Health Integration: At VWB, we champion a unified One Health approach that acknowledges the deep connections between animal, human, and environmental health. Our actions are driven by the conviction that veterinary care enhances overall health outcomes and promotes a balanced ecosystem. 
  • Localized Community-Driven One Health Empowerment: We commit to empowering communities by enhancing collaboration with local organizations and elevating local leaders in decision-making processes. Our goal is to deliver comprehensive One Health services tailored to all animals' specific needs, ensuring sustainable, community-driven solutions.
  • Ethical Integrity and Global Solidarity: VWB is committed to upholding the highest ethical standards in all aspects of our work, ensuring that every veterinary engagement, community interaction, and environmental impact is conducted with integrity, compassion, and respect for the interconnected well-being of animals, humans, and ecosystems. We balance local practices with global ethical standards, fostering global solidarity to cooperatively address shared challenges.
  • Environmental Sustainability and Climate Action: Together with our partners, VWB is committed to actively combating climate change by integrating environmental sustainability into all aspects of our work and promoting practices that reduce environmental impact, enhance ecosystem resilience, and support the health of all species.
  • Inclusive Equity: We are proud to foster inclusivity and equity by championing diversity and ensuring equitable access to animal health inputs, resources, and services for both companion animals and livestock, specifically addressing key barriers such as remote geographies, colonial legacies, and gender inequality, and actively working to respond to the needs of the most vulnerable, including women, while enhancing opportunities and skills development among local veterinary professionals and community members.
  • Responsive & Equitable Aid: At VWB, we employ a One Health approach in our emergency and humanitarian responses to animal health crises, seamlessly integrating preparedness, response, and recovery models that address both animal health and the climate crisis nexus while partnering with governments and local organizations, and communities to enhance risk understanding and ensure neutrality, impartiality, and comprehensive support, aiming for immediate relief as well as sustained resilience and recovery of communities and ecosystems, with equitable assistance for those most in need.

Learn more about our Theory of Change.

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.

VOLUNTEER WITH US DONATE TODAY

Stories From Around The World

Where Care Begins: How Helen Klengenberg Is Helping Strengthen Animal Health in Nunavut

Where Care Begins: How Helen Klengenberg Is Helping Strengthen Animal Health in Nunavut

Posted Jul 9th, 2026

From coordinating veterinary clinics to supporting future Community Animal Health Workers, Helen Klengenberg's story highlights the importance of local leadership in strengthening animal health across Nunavut. As communities continue to build local capacity, we explore how VWB is working alongside northern partners to improve access to care.

Read more

Different Approaches, One Goal: Bringing Veterinary Care Closer

Different Approaches, One Goal: Bringing Veterinary Care Closer

Posted Jul 8th, 2026

Access to veterinary care looks different in every community. This blog explores how mobile clinics, local veterinary partners, and Community Animal Health Workers help bring care closer to animals and families in Northern Canada, Ukraine, Senegal, and beyond.

Read more

Before the First Patient: Pandemic Preparedness Begins in Communities

Before the First Patient: Pandemic Preparedness Begins in Communities

Posted Jul 3rd, 2026

In recognition of World Zoonoses Day 2026, this article explores how community-centered One Health approaches can help detect, prevent, and respond to zoonotic diseases before they become global health emergencies.

Read more

  • The most rewarding part of my placements was helping others and seeing the many lives that are impacted along the way.
    - Nikki Sheedy

Become A Part Of The Big Picture

By supporting Veterinarians Without Borders through donations or volunteering, you become part of the Big Picture solution. 

Volunteer  Donate  

+1(343) 633-0272 Contact