The need for qualified veterinarians was felt as early as 1878 and the subject veterinary medicine was taught to the agriculture diploma students at the Agriculture College, Saidapet. Since, it was not found adequate to the needs of the society, a separate veterinary diploma was started at the same place during 1893. However, this was also not found adequate. Hence, the then Government of Madras Presidency taking cognizance of the initiatives of Government of India proposal to start a veterinary institute started the same at Vepery on 1^st October 1903. The role of the then Superintendent of the Civil Veterinary Department Vet. Major W.D. Gunn who was also the first Principal of the Madras Veterinary College in establishing the institution, remains unparallel in the history. The college first functioned in a rented building called Dobbin Hall and utilized the hospital facilities of SPCA. The diploma offered was for a duration of three years and styled as Graduate of Madras Veterinary College (GMVC). From then on the institution surged forward mainly due to the untiring efforts of veterinarians. The curriculum of GMVC was modified number of times to meet the needs of the farmers of the south Indian region. The standards followed in the education were duly approved and recognized by the committee formed by the Madras University and the Madras Veterinary College became the first institution to get affiliated to a University to offer degree level course in veterinary science and the degree was styled as B.V.Sc. In 1974 this college was affiliated to the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University and from 1976 it started functioning as a constituent unit of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University. The second veterinary college was started at the poultry belt of Tamil Nadu Namakkal during 1985.The relentless service by the institutes to the society was duly recognized and a separate University Tamil Nadu Veterinary & Animal Sciences University was formed for the first time in south Asia in 1989.

This University today is a well-recognized centre of higher education in veterinary and animal sciences.This University has three faculties namely Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Basic Sciences and Food Sciences, six constituent colleges - four veterinary colleges at Chennai, Namakkal, Tirunelveli and Orathanadu, one College of Food and Dairy Technology at Koduvalli, Chennai and one College of Poultry Production and Management at Hosur. There are just over 620 faculty members and 1,400 students. This University is offering four undergraduate programmes - B.V.Sc & A.H. and B.Tech programmes in three subjects namely Food Technology, Poultry Production Technology and Dairy Technology. Doctoral (Ph.D) and Master of Veterinary Sciences (M.V.Sc.) degrees are offered in 20 and 22 disciplines respectively in veterinary, animal and basic sciences faculties.Further, M.Tech and Ph.D programmes in Food Technology M.Phil degree programme in Biotechnology, M.Sc programmes in two subjects, and Master of Business Administration are also offered. A significant achievement in this year is the re-accreditation of the University by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research for a further period of five years upto 2020. The University also has a strong research base. In addition to the six constituent colleges, there are two directorates on animal production and animal health with their constituent laboratories and farms and a separate research directorate to oversee the research activities.There are nine research laboratories carrying out research in specific areas like veterinary biologicals, zoonosis, livestock feed analysis, disease diagnosis and surveillance, pharmaco-vigilance etc. The University reaches the un‐reached through its vast network of 21 Veterinary University Training and Research Centres (VUTRCs), three Farmers' Training Centres (FTCs) and three Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs). E‐extension services are offered through Touch Screen Information Kiosks, audio / video lessons, Kisan Call Centre and advisory through e‐mails and mobile SMS. The publication wing of the University publishes a magazine in vernacular language for livestock farming (Kalnadai Kathir) and a research journal, besides University newsletter in English and Tamil and Technical Reporter.

Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS) wishes to be an institution of international excellence in Veterinary and Food Sciences Education and Research and to develop, disseminate scientific knowledge and skill for enhanced livestock and poultry productivity through the use of technologies of social, economic and environmental relevance developed by adopting team approach.