The forces that led to the formation of ESLAV (European Society for Laboratory Animal Veterinarians) and lead our way at present, are the requirements of the public as well as organizations to be able to address veterinary specialists in the field of humane care and use of laboratory animals, and the requirement of these experts to discuss common subjects, to pool their resources to provide specialized service functions and professional expertise, and to be represented at a European level when decisions are made regarding laboratory animal use and welfare.