Dr. Barbara Royal is the founder and owner of The Royal Treatment Veterinary Center in Chicago, past president of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association (AHVMA) and of the AHVM Foundation, snd a co-founder of the Royal Animal Health University (RAHU). Dr. Royal is an internationally renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and physical rehabilitation. She was the first veterinarian in the world to perform acupuncture on a zebra, and has worked with wildlife, zoo animals and pets. She is known as a passionate advocate of common sense and cutting-edge approaches to animal health. Dr. Royal provides a bridge between Western and Eastern medicine for her clients that include pet parents in her local community as well as for high profile and celebrity pet owners. She has studied and uses many integrative and holistic modalities, including Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine, advanced herbal medicine, physical rehabilitation and homeopathy. She lectures around the globe, is widely published, and has been regularly featured in the media and in film documentaries for her groundbreaking work. Her engaging first book, The Royal Treatment: A Natural Approach to Wildly Healthy Pets, has been used as a textbook for integrative vet courses and is widely available. She teaches about all aspects of practical integrative veterinary medicine through RAHU, and is an adjunct professor at California Polytechnic State University.

She lives and works with her family and various wildly healthy pets in Chicago and on their organic farm in Michigan.