British veterinary medicine timeline
| 1785 | Odiham Agricultural Society proposes a British Veterinary School. |
| 1791 | London Veterinary College founded with Sainbel as its first Professor. Start of British veterinary profession. |
| 1796 | Army Board of Officers coin title “Veterinary Surgeon”. |
| 1823 | William Dick establishes veterinary school in Edinburgh. |
| 1828 | First two veterinary journals launched, one The Veterinarian, published for 74 years. |
| 1836 | First meeting of Veterinary Medical Association. |
| 1840 | Thomas Mayer and Thomas Walton Mayer start moves to obtain a Royal Charter to protect the profession. |
| 1844 | Charter granted and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons created. |
| 1847 | RCVS starts to compile the first Register of Members. |
| 1848 | Sheep pox found in imported animals, led to 1848 Act, first regulation to control import of animals. |
| 1854 | RCVS acquires first premises at 10 Red Lion Square. |
| 1857 | John Gamgee opens New Edinburgh Veterinary School, later moves to London but fails. |
| 1861 | James McCall founds Glasgow Veterinary School. |
| 1865 | Rinderpest diagnosed in London by J B Simonds. |
| 1866 | Cattle Diseases Prevention Act passed and State veterinary department created. Veterinary medicine seen as of national importance. |
| 1873 | William Williams establishes veterinary school in Edinburgh. |
| 1876 | Sir Frederick Fitzwygram and George Fleming, both in the Army, reorganise RCVS and obtain supplemental Charter. |
| 1879 | Fitzwygram heals rift between RCVS and Dick School allowing way for Act of Parliament to protect profession. |
| 1881 | Veterinary Surgeons Act passed due to work of Fleming. |
| 1882 | National Veterinary Association formed. |
| 1896 | Post of Chief Veterinary Officer established. |
| 1900 | Veterinary School in Dublin opened. |
| 1905 | Williams School from Edinburgh becomes Liverpool Veterinary School. |
| 1917 | Weybridge Central Veterinary Laboratory completed. |
| 1919 | National Veterinary Medical Association formed, becomes British Veterinary Association in 1952. |
| 1920 | Veterinary Surgeons Act (1881) Amendment Act passed, provided RCVS with regular income. |
| 1922 | Aleen Cust, first woman MRCVS, after completing course in 1890s. |
| 1929 | Martin Committee reports that RVC is a “national disgrace”. |
| 1935 | First sulphonamide introduced starting drugs revolution. |
| 1937 | Rebuilt Royal Veterinary College opened. |
| 1938 | Animal Health Division of Ministry of Agriculture born. |
| 1946 | Loveday Reports on veterinary education; veterinary schools subsumed into the university system. |
| 1948 | The Veterinary Surgeons Act passed giving RCVS powers over education and prevention of unqualified practice. |
| 1949 | Bristol School of Veterinary Science and the Cambridge Veterinary School established in response to the Loveday Reports |
| 1957 | British Small Animal Veterinary Association born, to become dominant professional division by 2000. |
| 1961 | Establishment of training for animal nursing auxilliaries. |
| 1966 | The Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 consolidated and updated all previous legislation. |
| 1966 | RCVS approves RANA (Veterinary Nurses) Register. |
| 1968 | Medicines Act passed, has widespread influence on sale and use of veterinary medicines. |
| 2006 | School of Veterinary Medicine and Science opened at the University of Nottingham. |
| 2013 | Legislative Reform Order (LRO) to reconstitute RCVS disciplinary committees separately from RCVS Council came into force on 6 April amending the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966. |
| 2014 | School of Veterinary Medicine opened at the University of Surrey. |
Compiled by Bruce Vivash Jones, Senior Vice Chairman of the Veterinary History Society in July 2010, and reproduced with his permission.