AAVAC Conference 2023

Wellington New Zealand, 25th-28th of September 2023.

The annual AAVAC conference for 2023 will be held in Wellington, New Zealand. Join friends and colleagues for a 4 day program including two days of scientific presentations followed by two days of seminars, day trips and excursions. Registrations will open soon.

Keynote Speaker

Associate Professor Hugues Beaufrere

Dr. Beaufrère received his veterinary degree from the University of Lyon, France in 2006. Following veterinary school, he completed a small animal internship in a private practice in Belgium, an avian and exotic medicine internship at the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph, Canada, and a combined PhD / Zoological Medicine Residency program at the School of Veterinary Medicine - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, USA and the Audubon Nature Institute, New Orleans, USA. After the completion of his PhD, Dr. Beaufrère came back to the Ontario Veterinary College – University of Guelph and was successively a staff veterinarian in the Avian and Exotic Service for 4 years and an assistant professor in the department of clinical studies for 4 years. Dr. Beaufrère joined the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California – Davis in 2021 as an Associate Professor in companion zoological medicine and surgery. Dr. Beaufrère is specialty board certified by the European College of Zoological Medicine (Avian; 2012), the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (Avian; 2012), and the American College of Zoological Medicine (subspecialty: Zoological Companion Animals; 2014).

Conference Program

 The full conference program is available here: Conference Program

Location and Venue

This year's conference will be held at the Te Papa, Museum of New Zealand in Wellington, NZ from Monday the 25th to Tuesday the 26th of September (https://www.tepapa.govt.nz/) and at the Zealandia sanctuary on Wednesday the 27th of September (https://www.visitzealandia.com/).

Field Trips and Excursions

Learn more about avian conservation projects and explore the Zealandia sanctuary on Wednesday the 27th of September. On Thursday 28th of September take a ferry trip and guided tour of Kapiti Island, a predator free island for many of New Zealand's unique avian species.

Accommodation Options

There are multiple hotels within walking distance of the venue including the QT Wellington (https://www.qthotels.com/wellington) and the Bay Plaza (https://www.bayplaza.co.nz/). AAVAC conference attendees can get a special nightly rate of NZ $205 when booking at the Bay Plaza. Use the promo code AAV on the hotel website or let the staff know you are attending the conference if booking over the phone.

Plan your trip

For more information on things to see and do before and after the conference, how to get to Wellington visit: https://www.newzealand.com/au/wellington/

Call for Abstracts

Interested in presenting? We accept a range of presentations including novel scientific research on avian topics,  case studies and reviews in avian medicine and surgery. Talks can range from 10 minutes up to 60 minutes depending on the size of the topic. More information on  preparing abstracts and slideshows is available here.

Become an AAVAC member today

Not an AAVAC member? Become an AAVAC member today for discount conference registration as well as many other benefits all for $70 AUD a year!