The first continental European association for veterinary pathologists was founded in 1951 as the Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Veterinärpathologen (AG-Vetpath), bringing together veterinary pathologists from Germany, several European countries, and the United States. Yearly meetings were held in conjunction with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Pathologie (DGP). Although the majority of DGP members were human pathologists, veterinary pathologists had been using the DGP as a forum for scientific exchange since the early 20th century. Renamed in 1969 as the Europäische Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Veterinärpathologen, and in 1974 as the Europäische Gesellschaft für Veterinärpathologie, the AG-Vetpath finally received its present name, the European Society for Veterinary Pathology (ESVP) in 1994. In parallel, national organizations for veterinary pathologists in European countries have also evolved over the years, the earliest being in Germany with the Fachgruppe Allgemeine Pathologie und pathologische Anatomie of the Deutsche Veterinärmedizinische Gesellschaft (DVG). AG-Vetpath represents the parent organization for further specialty organizations like the Gesellschaft für Toxikologische Pathologie (GTP) or the Arbeitskreis Diagnostische Veterinärpathologie (AKDV). Even the European College of Veterinary Pathologists (ECVP) was founded by members of ESVP.
Keywords: European Association for Veterinary Pathologists; European College of Veterinary Pathologists; European Society for Veterinary Pathology; history.