Brief History of the World Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (WAVLD)

Brief History of the WAVLD

• Dr. Benjaman Jarra of Mexico visited the National Animal Disease Laboratory in Ames, 1976 to consult with Dr. Vaughn Seaton and others.


• A new Veterinary Research and Diagnostic Laboratory at Palo Alto, Mexico was to be dedicated in 1977.


• Planning began for the organizational meeting of the WAVLD to coincide with the dedication of the new lab.


• The first informal ISWAVLD meeting was held in Guanajuato, Mexico in 1977 with several hundred in attendance.


• At the Mexico meeting, Dr. Hans Glattli, lobbied to host the second ISWAVLD meeting in Lucerne, Switzerland, 1980.


• A decision was made in Switzerland to name the new organization the “WAVLD” and Dr. Seaton installed as the first President. He remained in that position for 6 years.


• The WAVLD constitution and bylaws were approved at the third ISWAVLD meeting in Ames, Iowa, USA in 1983.