General Details

The Midwest Veterinary Conference (MVC), hosted by the Ohio Veterinary Medical Association (OVMA), is a growing, regional veterinary conference packed with educational, networking and social opportunities for every member of the veterinary team. Bringing together highly regarded experts from around the world and hundreds of industry vendors, the MVC is a national-caliber conference—at a Midwest price. Learn more »

Veterinarians, technicians/nurses, hospital staff, shelter personnel, and other animal care professionals in all fields of veterinary medicine attend the MVC. More details »

The live, in-person portion of the MVC is held at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, Hall A (400 N. High St., Columbus, Ohio 43215 – map) and the Hyatt Regency Hotel (350 N. High St., Columbus, Ohio 43215 – map).

Keep in mind that the MVC is not just an educational event, but a networking event as well! Therefore, we recommend business casual attire. You may wish to dress in layers, as meeting room temperatures can vary.

Pets

We love them as much as you do, but Convention Center regulations and health department codes prohibit pets. In keeping with the law, only service animals are permitted. Please help us not disappoint your pet by making them have to go home early!

Service Animals

Please note, documentation is required for individuals bringing service animals. (See next question for details.)

Per the Americans with Disabilities Act and Ohio law, disabled individuals are permitted to bring assistance animals into most public places. These regulations include the following provisions:

• Disabled means blind, hearing-impaired, deaf, and/or mobility impaired
• Assistance animal means any animal that aids someone who has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities (e.g., walking, seeing, hearing)
• Assistance dogs may be brought into public places, provided that:
  • The dog may not occupy a seat on public transportation
  • The dog must be leashed
  • Any dog in training to become an assistance animal should be covered by liability insurance
• You cannot be charged an additional fee for your service animal, but you can be held financially liable for any damages it causes.
• Public facilities are allowed to ask if your animal is a service animal and which tasks it is trained to perform. They cannot, however, ask detailed questions about your disability or animal.
• Public facilities are permitted ask you and your service animal to leave if it threatens the health or safety of other patrons.
• Keep in mind that neither federal nor Ohio law recognizes emotional support animals as "assistance animals," which means that public facilities are not required to admit them. We strongly encourage you to contact the convention center and your hotel in advance to find out their policies on ESAs.

If you have questions, please contact the convention center and your hotel directly to find out their policies. For more information on the legal requirements, please see:

• Ohio Revised Code 955.43: Dogs with blind, deaf or mobility impaired person
• Ohio Administrative Code 4112-5-02: Discrimination Definitions
• ADA Regulations

Proof of a service animal (also known as an assistance dog under Ohio law) would include one or more of the following:

• Evidence the animal was trained by a non-profit special agency to assist individuals with a disability including: sight impairment, hearing impairment, mobility impairment, medical condition or providing psychiatric assistance.
• A statement from a human health care professional that the individual benefits from the assistance of the service animal, and a statement from a veterinarian indicating the animal is of a suitable temperament in their opinion to provide assistance to the individual in areas of public gathering.
• Completion of a statement by the individual attesting that the animal is necessary because of a disability and what work or task has the animal been trained to perform.

Service/Assistance Animal Rules

• Must be kept on a leash or harness and under the control of the person at all times.
• Identification of the animal as a service/assistance animal by a vest or similar item upon the animal and identification on the animal by badge of the animal’s name, its owners name and cell phone.
• Waste bags must be on the owner’s possession and promptly used when necessary.
• Animal must be removed if it becomes aggressive and/or vocalizes extensively.

Attendees who need special assistance or services in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act are asked to notify the OVMA office at least two weeks prior to the Conference by providing a written description of how we may accommodate you. There is space available for this request on both the online and paper registration forms.

OVMA strongly encourages attendees to be fully vaccinated prior to the conference, but it is not required at this time.

In addition to your standard travel items, we recommend you bring:

• your session notes, either in hard copy form* OR downloaded to your preferred device
• confirmation packet and badge
• notebook, laptop or tablet for extra note-taking
• smartphone or tablet with MVC mobile app installed

*Note: The MVC does not have notes-printing stations on site.

A hard copy of the On-Site Program will be available at the self-serve attendee items station. Please note, the On-Site Program DOES NOT contain session descriptions, so if you would like to have access to this information on site, please bring your Registration Program with you or refer to the mobile app.

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