PVMA 2024 Award Recipients
The Portland Veterinary Medical Association is honored to recognize individuals that have gone above and beyond for the veterinary profession, our community, and the people in it. We are proud to announce the following 2024 PVMA Awards recipients:
Veterinarian of the Year:
Megan Seekins DVM, DACVECC
BluePearl Pet Hospital – Northeast Portland
Nominated by Lindsay Thurwachter DVM – “Megan is one of the smartest people I have ever known but what is so special about her, is that she is so generous with that knowledge. She has been so incredibly supportive to veterinarians across the Portland Metro area. Anytime I have had an anesthetic emergency, complicated case, or even needing help with my own pet she has generously been there. But this isn’t unique to me, I have seen her demonstrate this time and time again for other vets. I am so appreciative for her support and makes practicing in the Portland area better.”
Veterinary Team Member Award:
Chantal Faraudo CVT, CVPP
RECOVER CPR Instructor
Nominated by PVMA Board of Directors – “Chantal has been an exceptional part of the Portland veterinary community, being a long-serving director of the Oregon Veterinary Technician and Assistant Association, most recently leading the expansion of dedicated OVTAA CE offerings and offering regular OVTAA RecoverCPR trainings to our community. Chantal goes above and beyond to help our community and our collective profession-championing veterinary professionals and their growth and sharing all the knowledge she has! We are so thrilled to celebrate you, Chantal!”
Outstanding Service of the Year Award:
Becky Prull DVM and Nick Gowing DVM
Stumptown Strays Dog Rescue
Nominated by Laura Lambruschi DVM
“Dr. Becky Prull and Dr. Nick Gowing started their rescue Stumptown Strays in 2021. Their mission is to rescue shelter dogs with medical needs, provide them with life-saving veterinary care, and aid them on the path to their forever homes – and this is exactly what they do. To date they have cared for and adopted out 491 strays since they started this rescue – providing all manners of medical care including but not limited to intensive periodontal care, treatment of severe skin conditions, limb amputations, enucleations, referral for fracture repairs, helped to facilitate neurologic work ups, cystotomies, referral for complicated UTI management/treatment, referral for PDA surgical correction, and the list goes on and on.
They both work full time at Northwest Neighborhood Veterinary Hospital and when they aren’t spending time taking care of patients at work – they are living and breathing for all the strays under their care, helping them on their path to healing, recovery, and their forever homes.
They volunteer most (if not all) of their free time to give these pets with more intensive medical needs which has in turn helped to take the burden off our own local area shelters and rescue organizations. They get weekly updates from Multnomah County Animal Shelter on pets that may benefit from their help. They also take strays from Clackamas County, Marion County, and they help local area rescues when they are in over their head – to name just a few.
This amazing organization they have created has helped to fill a large gap in stray animal care here in Oregon. They have also been supported by amazing area specialists that have generously discounted and donated their time and efforts for those extra complicated (but not hopeless) medical/surgical cases – as well as a full force of volunteers and fosters that help to make this all possible.
While there are a number of amazing stories of success in Stumptown Strays, one that I just love is the story of Bevis. Bevis came to Dr. Prull and Gowing in October via Fences For Fido. He is a 1-year-old intact male shepherd husky mix that had a broken left humerus and broken left femur – but a fighting spirit. He was completely immobile and slated for euthanasia because no other rescue had the resources to take him. He became a Stumptown Stray because he is a prime example of why they started this rescue – to help dogs (and some cats too) that others just could not. Bevis had both his legs surgically repaired by Dr. Lozier at VCA NW Veterinary Specialists (big shout out to his whole team who stayed late after work to do this case). His femur was plated, and humerus had an external fixator placed. Bevis has been in recovery since then. Near the end of December, he was neutered and had the last of his external pins removed. And then on Christmas Eve – he was taken to emergency surgery by Dr. Prull and Dr. Gowing due to a GI obstruction (while recovering with his foster family he did what many 1-year-old dogs do and ate something that he should not have). He is completely healed and will be posted for adoption soon!
Nick and Becky have amassed an amazing group of people to help support their cause but ultimately none of this would be possible without their own extraordinary efforts – and for that I can think of no one better to nominate for the PVMA Outstanding Service Award this year.”
