Dr. Betty Althouse
Former CVO for Saskatchewan, 2012-2020
Dr. Betty Althouse served as Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) for Saskatchewan from July 2012 until her retirement on September 30, 2020. She continues to work as a part-time veterinary consultant. Dr. Althouse earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) in 1982.
Her career includes diverse experience in Saskatchewan, including mixed rural practice with a focus on swine and dairy herd health, working as a pig farmer, and serving on provincial agriculture research boards. She also worked as a CFIA poultry slaughter veterinarian and disease control specialist for domestic diseases. This background provided her with a broad education in veterinary practice.
As CVO, Dr. Althouse's major accomplishment was developing a framework for future animal health initiatives both within Saskatchewan and nationally. Her team focused on modernizing the provincial regulatory framework to prevent and respond to diseases, improve animal welfare, and expand animal health surveillance programs. They established regulated disease lists and response programs in consultation with industry and created working groups related to One Health, One Welfare, and Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).
Regionally, Dr. Althouse chaired the ASF (African Swine Fever) destruction and disposal group and played a key role in the formation of the Western Canadian Animal Health Network (WeCAHN). Nationally, she contributed to rabies response guidelines, CWD response strategies, the formation of the Canadian Animal Health Surveillance System (CAHSS), and committee work on the formation of the Animal Health Council (AHC). She was also involved in various CCVO position statements and worked with regulatory Associate Deputy Ministers to advance CCVO priorities, serving as CCVO Chair in 2014.
Dr. Althouse's work continues to influence national animal health strategies, including CWD response, ASF planning, and S-CAP surveillance programming. She remains committed to upholding principles of animal health and welfare, advocating for necessary enforcement to maintain public trust, and contributing to national collaboration and input.