Veterinary medical education in our country was initially influenced by medical and veterinary medical education from other countries, mainly from Austria-Hungary, then from France and Germany, where most of our teaching staff from that time studied and where some of them were awarded the title of Doctor Honoris Causa or were elected to be part of the French and German Academies. The need for the existence of specialists in the veterinary medical field was motivated by the intensification of animal breeding at the end of the 18th century and by the heavy toll imposed by transmissible animal diseases.

The first forms of veterinary education, elementary or secondary, related to medical education, were provided by various legal provisions in 1831 (for a veterinary school) and in 1832 (veterinary art course – mentioned in the Organic Regulation). In 1856, Dr. Carol Davila (of French origin), army general, doctor, founded in Bucharest the first medical school in the Balkan countries that also had courses in the field of animal diseases – the School for Veterinary Education.

In 1861, the field of veterinary medicine became independent, as a Veterinary School, with its own educational plan.

A period of searching followed, between 1864-1883, which was the consequence of the lack of administrative support, dependent on the relevant ministries. Thus, it was no longer possible to ensure the progress started in the previous period, even the continuation of education being endangered, with special sacrifices on the part of the teaching staff, students and some veterinary professionals or other supporters from Bucharest, who supported education through personal efforts.

In 1883, under the direction of Alexandru Locusteanu, the Veterinary School obtained the status of the Superior School of Veterinary Medicine. Also in 1883, the Higher School of Veterinary Medicine passed from the Ministry of Instructions to the Ministry of Agriculture, and Alexandru Locusteanu began the steps to build the school’s own premises, finally acquiring 3 hectares of land (between Splaiul Independenții and Izvor street) for the buildings needed by the school.

In 1921, the Law on the transformation of the Higher School of Veterinary Medicine into a Faculty is voted. Through this act, veterinary medical education received its definitive consecration as university education. At that time, it was the only veterinary medicine faculty in the Balkans, many students from neighboring countries (Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Macedonia, Albania, Greece) graduated and are still graduating in Romania.

From 1921 to 1948 our faculty was integrated into the University of Bucharest, and from 1948 until present times it is part of the University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest. From 1887 until now, the faculty is located and operates in a large campus (between Splaiul Independenţei and Izvor street), interrupting its activity in this perimeter only in two moments of its existence – the Second World War (with a return in year 1952) and in the period between 1985-1989.

In 1985, according to the provisions of the old communist regime, the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Bucharest was moved, leaving the campus in Splaiul Independenţei, the teaching activities taking place, in inappropriate conditions, in several institutions in Bucharest. This “pulverization” of the faculty’s disciplines represented a temporary survival solution, better, however, than the solution of abolishing and redistributing its students and teaching staff to the other faculties in the country.

Since 1990, the renovation of the old buildings began, and in parallel with the restoration activities, ways were found to resume teaching activities in the old faculty. In difficult socio-economic conditions, the faculty campus continued to be modernized to the standards set by the European Community, in addition to the renovation works, other important facilities were also built – the Clinics Pavilion (1997), the Veterinary Hospital (2000). At the same time, the curriculum and analytical programs were optimized and the forms of training were diversified (School of Postgraduate Studies, Master’s).

While the second displacement was taking place, which we considered to be definitive, we tried not to look at the dear places we were leaving behind and here it is, after a period of Renaissance, today the Alma Mater of Romanian veterinary education lives, develops, giving us all the security of eternity.