According to a news release on the Michigan State University (MSU) College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) website, Carla L. Carleton, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACT, an associate professor in the MSU CVM Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, has been named one of 27 Charter Diplomates of the newly formed American College of Animal Welfare (ACAW).

"The creation of the College has been a six-year process," Carleton said in the statement. "The United States now joins the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand in recognizing animal welfare as a specialty in veterinary medicine. We have lagged behind in this regard, but the AVMA recognition demonstrates a commitment to join the global veterinary community as a leader in animal welfare issues."

According to the statement, Carleton began working for animal welfare in South Asia in 1992, when she partnered with equine practitioners in India, Thailand, Cambodia, and Morocco and focused on the health and welfare of village carriage ponies.

In 2003, she served as the co-chairman, a laboratory instructor, and a lecturer at the first Indian Association of Equine Practitioners conference, the statement said