The American Veterinary Medical Association recently awarded Temple Grandin, professor of animal sciences at Colorado State University and a pioneering animal welfare advocate in the livestock industry, with the 2025 AVMA Humane Award.

The AVMA Humane Award is given to a nonveterinarian to recognize achievement in advancing the welfare of animals through leadership, public service, education, research, product development or advocacy. It is one of three Animal Welfare and Human-Animal Bond Excellence Awards presented annually by the AVMA and supported by Merck Animal Health.

"I'm deeply honored to receive the AVMA Humane Award," said Grandin. "My goal has always been to improve the lives of animals through practical, science-based methods that reduce stress and promote humane treatment. It's been a privilege to work alongside veterinarians, educators and industry leaders to bring about lasting changes that benefit animals and the people who care for them."

Grandin has spent more than 35 years transforming how animals raised for food are handled in the United States and around the world. Her designs for humane livestock handling systems are used in facilities across the globe, and her center track restrainer system is now the industry standard in large beef plants across North America. Her work has directly improved the welfare of millions of animals, reducing fear and stress in critical situations.

"Dr. Grandin's unique understanding of animal behavior and welfare has had an unparalleled impact on the livestock industry, the veterinary profession and the public's understanding of animal agriculture," said Sandra Faeh, president of the AVMA. "She is perhaps the most recognizable public figure in the world when it comes to the welfare of food animals, and for good reason. Her groundbreaking work has improved the lives of millions of animals and set a standard for what humane care in animal agriculture can and should look like. It is an honor to recognize her with the AVMA Humane Award."

Diagnosed with autism at an early age, Grandin did not begin speaking until she was three years old. But thanks to early intervention and strong support from her family, she learned to navigate a world that often struggled to understand her. A deep affinity for animals and a unique way of thinking in pictures gave her a special insight into how animals perceive their environments, which would become the foundation of her lifelong work in animal welfare.

Grandin would go on to earn her Ph.D. in animal science from the University of Illinois. In the 1990s, Grandin developed one of the first objective scoring systems to assess animal handling and stunning practices in slaughter plants. Adopted by the USDA and major food companies, her comprehensive auditing protocols revolutionized animal welfare oversight and helped drive sweeping industrywide changes. In 1999, McDonald's Corp., for example, brought her in to train their food safety auditors on handling procedures, and adopted her criteria to evaluate suppliers and require compliance with humane handling practices, which led to improvements in livestock facilities across the country.

Grandin has authored hundreds of scientific publications and more than a dozen books, including several bestsellers. Her most recent book, "Visual Thinking," explores the unique ways in which differently wired minds—like her own as a person with autism—contribute to science and society. She teaches and mentors students at Colorado State University and is a regular presenter at US and international conferences on animal welfare, agriculture and autism awareness.

Grandin has served as a member of several AVMA advisory panels, including the Panel on Euthanasia, Panel on Humane Slaughter and Panel on Depopulation. Her work on these entities has helped shape AVMA guidance that continues to encourage humane practices across the veterinary and food animal industries.

A recipient of numerous national and international honors, Grandin was named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2018 and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2017. In 2010, the same year she was portrayed by Claire Danes in the Emmy Award–winning HBO biopic "Temple Grandin," Grandin was named one of Time magazine's "100 Most Influential People in the World." She is the recipient of the Meritorious Achievement Award from the World Organization for Animal Health, the Double Helix Medal by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory for raising awareness and funds for biomedical research, and the 2024 Denver Business Journal's Outstanding Women in Business Lifetime Achievement Award. Grandin was named one of USA Today's 2025 Women of the Year and was elected to the National Women's Hall of Fame in 2017.

In 2023, Grandin was awarded an honorary veterinary degree from the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Grandin will receive the AVMA award and be a featured speaker at AVMA Convention 2025 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., July 18-22.

Source: American Veterinary Medical Association