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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →The Westminster Veterinarian of the Year 2025 is Dr. Sara K. Lyle of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Westminster announced her selection on January 14, 2025, after more than 300 nominations, recognizing her reproductive-health expertise, LSU teaching and research, professional service, and animal-response work; the award included a $10,000 donation to Not One More Vet.
Lyle’s honor was announced ahead of the 149th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, held February 8, 10, and 11, 2025, in New York City.
Key takeaways
- Dr. Sara K. Lyle of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was named the fourth annual Westminster Veterinarian of the Year on January 14, 2025.
- Westminster said an expert veterinary judging panel selected Lyle from more than 300 nominations across the United States.
- Lyle is an LSU associate professor and veterinary theriogenologist whose work focuses on reproductive health, reproductive management, assisted reproductive technologies, and reproductive disorders.
- Westminster announced a $10,000 donation in Lyle’s name to Not One More Vet, a nonprofit supporting veterinary professionals facing mental-health challenges.
- The 2025 award was announced before the 149th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, held February 8, 10, and 11, 2025, in New York City.
Who is the Westminster Veterinarian of the Year 2025?
Dr. Sara K. Lyle of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is the Westminster Veterinarian of the Year 2025. The Westminster Kennel Club announced Lyle as the award’s fourth annual recipient on January 14, 2025, ahead of the 149th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York City. Lyle is a DVM, MS, PhD, DACT, associate professor at Louisiana State University’s School of Veterinary Medicine, published author, and veterinary theriogenologist.
The announcement appeared before the 149th dog show, which took place on February 8, 10, and 11, 2025. Westminster’s January 14, 2025 award announcement described Lyle’s selection and professional contributions.
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Why did Dr. Sara K. Lyle win Westminster’s veterinarian award?
Dr. Sara K. Lyle was recognized for combining veterinary reproductive-health expertise with teaching, research, professional leadership, animal advocacy, and disaster-response service. Westminster’s announcement does not provide comparative clinical-outcome statistics or claim that Lyle was ranked by patient survival, treatment success, or another clinical-performance measure.
Lyle’s specialty is veterinary theriogenology, the branch of veterinary medicine concerned with reproduction. Her documented interests include reproductive-management strategies, assisted reproductive technologies, and the immunological aspects of reproductive disorders. Her work is relevant to canine health, but the award is broader than a specialty or clinical board-certification honor: Westminster presents the recognition as an annual award for excellence, dedication, and values in animal care and advocacy.
What is Dr. Lyle’s veterinary and academic background?
Dr. Sara K. Lyle spent 10 years in private practice before joining Louisiana State University as a clinical instructor in 2002. She later became an associate professor at LSU’s School of Veterinary Medicine. Westminster describes her academic mission as bringing veterinarians, clients, and patients together to improve reproductive-health outcomes.
Lyle is president of the Theriogenology Foundation, the nonprofit sister organization of the Society for Theriogenology and the American College of Theriogenologists. Westminster also identifies her as an active member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Society for Theriogenology, the American College of Theriogenologists, and Phi Zeta.
Her service extends beyond university and clinical work. Lyle served with the Louisiana State Animal Response Team, helping rescue and care for animals after hurricanes affecting south Louisiana. That disaster-response work complements her reproductive-health teaching and research and helps explain why Westminster highlighted both animal care and advocacy in its recognition.
How many nominations were there for Westminster Veterinarian of the Year 2025?
According to The Westminster Kennel Club’s 2025 announcement, more than 300 nominations were submitted from across the United States. An expert veterinary judging panel selected Lyle for what Westminster described as her “excellence, dedication, and values in animal care and advocacy.”
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The 2025 judging panel consisted of Dr. Marty Greer of Veterinary Village, Dr. Joseph Rossi of North Penn Animal Hospital, and Dr. Treyton Diggs of AllStar Animal Clinic. Diggs was Westminster’s 2024 Veterinarian of the Year and was serving as an active Resident Veterinarian.
Who were the 2025 Westminster Veterinarian of the Year finalists?
The 2025 regional finalists were Dr. Douglas Tack, Dr. Daryl Waits, and Dr. Kyle Schumacher. The available announcement identifies their practices and states but does not provide a clinical ranking among the finalists.
| Veterinarian | Practice | State | How the announcement positions the candidate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. Sara K. Lyle | Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine | Louisiana | 2025 recipient; reproductive-health specialist, educator, researcher, and animal-response volunteer |
| Dr. Douglas Tack | Black River Veterinary Hospital | New Jersey | 2025 regional finalist |
| Dr. Daryl Waits | Fayette Veterinary Hospital | Ohio | 2025 regional finalist |
| Dr. Kyle Schumacher | Schumacher Veterinary Clinic | New Mexico | 2025 regional finalist |
The finalist information and judging details come from the published reproduction of Westminster’s 2025 announcement. The finalist list should be read as award context, not as a comparison of medical quality or patient outcomes.
What charity received the Westminster veterinarian award donation?
Westminster announced a $10,000 donation in Dr. Sara K. Lyle’s name to Not One More Vet, commonly called NOMV. NOMV supports veterinary professionals dealing with mental-health challenges, giving the award a charitable and professional-well-being dimension beyond recognition of one veterinarian.
Lyle said, “I am incredibly humbled and honored to be recognized as the Westminster Kennel Club’s Veterinarian of the Year.” She also said, “Education and service are at the heart of my work from the cornerstone of canine health to raising research funds through the Theriogenology Foundation.”
Lyle added, “I am thankful to The Westminster Kennel Club for creating this award which shines a light on Not One More Vet and its support of mental well-being within the veterinary community.” These statements were included in the January 14, 2025 Westminster award announcement.
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Does Westminster support veterinary mental health?
Yes. Westminster established the Veterinarian of the Year initiative in 2022 both to celebrate veterinary professionals who demonstrate excellence in animal care and advocacy and to highlight challenges within the veterinary profession, including mental-health concerns.
The award is part of Westminster Cares, the club’s charitable program covering breed education, canine health, breed rescue, canine companionship, and dog-sports participation. Westminster’s official Veterinarian of the Year page also describes the Pro Plan Veterinary Support Mission. The page says that, since its launch in 2024, the mission had provided more than $3.5 million to organizations addressing challenges in veterinary practice, based on the page as reviewed in 2026.
The support ecosystem named on Westminster’s current award page includes mental-health support through the Veterinary Hope Foundation, financial assistance through the American Veterinary Medical Foundation’s REACH Program and Paisley Paws, and access to expert behavioral care through Ease Pet Vet. These programs are resources described by Westminster; eligibility and availability can vary, and the programs should not be treated as a general pet-insurance policy or universal veterinary discount.
What is the wider Westminster canine-health mission?
Westminster says its canine-health work serves family pets, canine athletes, and displaced dogs. The club’s veterinary scholarships began in 1987 and total more than $4.8 million to date, according to The Westminster Kennel Club’s Canine Health page, reviewed August 13, 2026. The Veterinarian of the Year award fits within that larger focus on education, veterinary care, rescue, and the human welfare of people who care for animals.
The award therefore recognizes more than Lyle’s specialty in animal reproduction. The documented basis for the honor includes her academic and clinical work, professional-society service, research and education efforts, and response work helping animals affected by hurricanes.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Further Westminster reading and resources
Readers interested in Westminster history and dog-show culture can look for the Westminster Kennel Club commemorative book. Westminster’s official 149th Westminster event press-release page lists a commemorative book under Shop, but a current Amazon listing, exact edition, price, seller, and affiliate eligibility were not verified for this article.
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Veterinary professionals seeking mental-health information can start with the Not One More Vet resource named in Westminster’s announcement. Pet owners facing difficulty paying for lifesaving treatment can also research the AVMF REACH Program, while checking current eligibility and participating-clinic requirements before relying on assistance.
What the 2025 award does—and does not—establish
- The award establishes that Westminster selected Dr. Sara K. Lyle from more than 300 nominations in 2025.
- The award documents Lyle’s specialty, academic role, professional service, research interests, and animal-response work.
- The award does not establish a comparative clinical-performance ranking of Lyle and the other finalists.
- The announcement does not provide patient-outcome data, research-effect measurements, or treatment-success statistics.
- The $10,000 donation connects the recognition to veterinary mental-health support through Not One More Vet.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is veterinary theriogenology?
Dr. Sara K. Lyle is a veterinary theriogenologist, meaning a veterinarian who specializes in animal reproduction. Her documented interests include reproductive management, assisted reproductive technologies, and the immunological aspects of reproductive disorders.
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Who were the finalists for Westminster Veterinarian of the Year in 2025?
The 2025 finalists were Dr. Douglas Tack of Black River Veterinary Hospital in New Jersey, Dr. Daryl Waits of Fayette Veterinary Hospital in Ohio, and Dr. Kyle Schumacher of Schumacher Veterinary Clinic in New Mexico. Dr. Sara K. Lyle was the recipient.
What charity received the Westminster Veterinarian of the Year donation?
Westminster announced a $10,000 donation in Dr. Sara K. Lyle’s name to Not One More Vet, an organization supporting veterinary professionals facing mental-health challenges.
The Bottom Line
Dr. Sara K. Lyle, a Louisiana State University associate professor and veterinary theriogenologist from Baton Rouge, was Westminster’s 2025 Veterinarian of the Year. Westminster selected her from more than 300 nominations and paired the honor with a $10,000 donation in her name to Not One More Vet.
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