2023 Indianapolis Prize Winner “Popi” Shares Penguin-related Conservation Lessons with PVM Students

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The Indianapolis Prize is the world’s leading award for animal conservation. Every two years, the world’s preeminent animal conservationists are celebrated and honored at the Indianapolis Prize Gala presented by Cummins Inc., which was held this year on Saturday, September 30. The next Monday, October 2, the winner of the 2023 Indianapolis Prize, Dr. Pablo Borboroglu, came to Lynn Hall to speak to the Purdue veterinary student body about his work to protect penguin species around the globe as the founder and president of the Global Penguin Society.

Dr. Borborgolu primarily works to improve penguin colony management by creating large areas of protected penguin habitat. Given his unwavering loyalty to his animals, his consistently encouraging spirit and his caring mentorship, it’s not surprising that Dr. Borboroglu goes by “Popi” for short.

“Every two years, the international conservation community turns its eyes toward Indianapolis for the awarding of the Indianapolis Prize,” said Dr. Rob Shumaker, president and CEO of the Indianapolis Zoo. “This event is a celebration of real-life heroes whose work makes a lasting impact on the future of our world.” This year, the hero soaring above the rest was Dr. Borboroglu, who was selected from a group of six finalists by a jury of distinguished scientists and conservation leaders to receive the Prize.

“I am incredibly grateful and honored to be named the 2023 Indianapolis Prize Winner,” said Dr. Borboroglu. “It’s a dream for conservationists. Receiving this award is validation that what you do is important. Wildlife conservation is critical for all of us because it helps us maintain the structure and function of the environment. This award provides motivation and more encouragement to continue pursuing my passion for protecting penguins.”

Dr. Borboroglu’s visit to Purdue as a guest speaker was arranged through a collaboration between PVM and the Indianapolis Zoo and attracted a capacity audience in Lynn 1136 with an overflow of students watching a livestream from a classroom below. Dr. Borboroglu’s passion for protecting penguins certainly shone through during the talk as he left attendees with heartwarming stories and the motivation to make their own impact on the world.

Dr. Borboroglu shared about the seeds that were planted very early in his life, which eventually blossomed into a successful career. It all began with his great-grandmother, who inspired him to pursue a career in education about protecting penguins after taking frequent excursions to the coast of his home country of Argentina to be surrounded by wildlife. As he grew into a teenager, oil spills began to plague the Argentinian coast, resulting in upwards of 40,000 penguin deaths per year in his region. To most, this was normal. To Dr. Borboroglu, this was heartbreaking – and he wanted to do something about it.

Dr. Borboroglu studied biological sciences at the National University of Patagonia and earned his PhD in marine biology from the National University of Comahue in Argentina with a specialization in sea birds and penguins. He is a researcher at Argentina’s National Research Council (CONICET) and an affiliate professor at the University of Washington. Now, after protecting over 32 million acres of marine and coastal areas, introducing more than 7,500 children to penguin colonies through an educational program, distributing 1,000 educational books for free in five Spanish-speaking countries, and benefiting over 2 million penguins through improved colony management and scientific implementation, Dr. Borboroglu can say his small steps have turned into giant leaps toward the protection of penguins and the education of thousands around the world.

Dr. Borboroglu concluded his presentation at Lynn Hall by leaving students with advice on how they – and everyone – can take small steps to protect penguins and oceans around the world: avoid single-use plastics, research supply chains of large companies and stop support of those with excess plastic use, and start conversations with others to spread the word on the importance of protecting our world.

Click here to learn more about the Global Penguin Society.

Click here to watch a recording of Dr. Borboroglu’s presentation at Purdue.

Writer(s): Madeline Brod, communications intern | pvmnews@purdue.edu

Purdue Farm Animal Hospital Holds First Cattle Health Education Workshop

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Cattle producers had the opportunity to hear from Purdue Veterinary Medicine bovine specialists and see the David and Bonnie Brunner Farm Animal Hospital first-hand during a special half-day Cattle Health Education Workshop hosted by the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital. The event on Saturday, November 4, attracted more than 30 attendees from 15 different farms as well as the Indiana Beef Cattle Association. The workshop represented the first time the hospital has conducted such a session.

Faculty and clinicians associated with the Farm Animal Hospital and Bovine Field Services led workshop sessions. Dr. Laura May, a 2019 Purdue DVM graduate who now serves as visiting assistant professor of farm animal internal medicine, organized the program and gave one of the presentations. The other speakers were Dr. Andrew Hubner, clinical assistant professor of farm animal field services, and Dr. Jerry Rusch, a 1991 Purdue DVM graduate who is board-certified by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners in Beef Cattle. Dr. Rusch owns Spring Mill Veterinary Service, a mixed animal practice in Mitchell, Indiana and is a member of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, Academy of Veterinary Consultants, and the Society for Theriogenology.

The workshop provided an opportunity to bring cattle producers from around the local area and across the state to the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine to hear presentations on current topics important to the attendee’s success. In addition, the event enabled the college to promote the Farm Animal Hospital by giving the producers the opportunity to meet the hospital’s clinicians and tour the facility.

The workshop concluded with a panel discussion and question-and-answer session that featured Drs. Laura May, Andrew Hubner, Jerry Rusch, and Heather Bornheim, farm animal medicine and surgery clinician. The panel was introduced by Dr. Rafael Neves, assistant professor of food animal production medicine and section head for the Bovine Field Service. After the panel discussion concluded, the attendees toured the Farm Animal Hospital and had a chance to meet the veterinary nurses who would handle their animals when they bring them to the facility.

The workshop was sponsored by Axiota/Multimin, Elanco, Zoetis, and Boehringer Ingelheim. Given that this was the Farm Animal Hospital’s first such program, the support of the sponsors was pivotal in helping to hold down costs for the attendees. As the event concluded, much interest was expressed in the workshop being offered again in the future.

Writer(s): Kevin Doerr | pvmnews@purdue.edu

Halloween Happenings in and around Lynn Hall Showcase the “Spirit” of Purdue Veterinary Medicine

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Spooky scenes at the end of October made it clear that Halloween was having its annual impact on the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, all in fun, of course! Several special events and activities, along with creative costuming, provided a fitting, festive Halloween flavor in and around the college. From caped canines to a troupe of minions led by Gru, to devilishly delectable Halloween-themed desserts, to designer pumpkins, there was something for everyone who wanted to get into the Halloween spirit.

The events kicked off with the annual Canine Educators Halloween Parade Friday, October 27, complete with costumed canines that first had their photos taken in the Canine Educators Photo Booth, so faculty, staff, and students would be able to vote for their favorite caped canine in the costume contest. Then the team of nearly 30 dogs and their student handlers, many of whom also were in costumes, gathered for a group photo in front of a fun but spooky skeleton backdrop outside of Lynn Hall. Next, the students and their canines headed off, following the annual parade route, which led from the Continuum sculpture, up Marsteller Street, and then around the Memorial Mall by Stewart Center before returning to the veterinary college via South University Street.

The dogs drew accolades from passersby, and enjoyed the extra attention that their gala outfits generated. The students also had candy to share with onlookers. The week following, votes were cast for the best costumes. After the more than 300 responses to the poll were tallied, the winners were announced:

• Top prize in the Solo Costume category was Paula, who went as a stick of butter.
• Second and third place Solo Costume winners were Rose, who dressed as a rose, and Freya, who went as Princess Peach.
• The winners of the Group Costume category were the Super Mario Bros., including Spike as Mario, Luigi as Luigi, Freya as Princess Peach, and Paul as Bowser.
• Second place in the Group Costume category went to the pasta boys, Rotini and Ziti.

“Thank you all for your support of the Halloween Parade and the costume contest this year,” said second-year veterinary student Elliot Westrich, who handled the release of the Costume Contest voting results.  “These events wouldn’t happen without the support of the awesome PVM family, and we can’t thank you enough for cheering on our Canine Educators!” 

Another Halloween Happening occurred on October 31 at the Veterinary Nursing Programs’ office, where Gru showed-up with his band of minions armed with bananas! It was quite a sight, especially given that the minions looked suspiciously like several Veterinary Nursing Program staff members, and there was a striking resemblance between Gru and Dr. Chad Brown, the director of Purdue Veterinary Nursing Programs. In fact, in a stunning coincidence, whenever Gru was present, Dr. Brown was nowhere to be found! That raised the question, “Are they one and the same?!” The mystery was solved when several veterinary nursing students came by. Reflecting Dr. Brown’s influence as a mentor, they were wearing their glasses just like he does – tilted up in the back instead of resting on the ears. One of the students also wore a bald cap for extra effect. This sight prompted Dr. Brown to take off his Gru mask for a photo op.

Halloween enthusiasts with a culinary bent, and perhaps a sweet tooth as well, enjoyed participating in the Halloween Bake-off hosted by the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital’s Diagnostic Imaging Service. There were ten entries including dirt pudding, brownies, cake pops, cake, and cakey pumpkin bars, with enchanting names like, “Cauldron Cake Pop” and “Lavender Haze Pumpkin Patch.”

Lydia Trott BS, RVT, VTS-DI, lead veterinary technologist in diagnostic imaging, noted that many people struggled to decide which entry would receive their vote – the one reflecting the most skill, the one with the theme they loved, or the one that was most “Halloweeny.” When the judging was over, these were revealed as the winners:

• The Cauldron Cake Pop by Bri Kerr, RVT, veterinary nurse in Small Animal Internal Medicine, took the top prize for Best Design. 
• Second place was awarded to Dr. Andrew Woolcock, DACVIM-SAIM, associate professor of small animal internal medicine, for his intriguing entry called “Sneezecake.”
• The Cakey Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting by Becca Riffe, technologist in the Clinical Pathology Laboratory, won first place for Best Taste. 
• Coming in second was Dirt Pudding with White Chocolate Ghosts by Araynna Holland, RVT, veterinary technician of oncology clinical trials.

And what would Halloween be without pumpkins? So it’s no surprise that the College of Veterinary Medicine also was home to a Pumpkin Decorating Contest, organized by the PVM Wellness Committee.  Pictures of the designs created by members of the PVM community were shared so votes could be tallied for the favorite designs in several categories. The category winners, by narrow margins of one to two percent of the votes cast, are:

• Most Spooky: Skelly by first-year veterinary student Kerrigan Fleming;
• Most Creative: Pumpkin Spice Donut by Grace Mulia, graduate teaching assistant in the Basic Medical Sciences Department; and
• Movie Character: Penny Wise by veterinary nursing student Brooke Hopkins.

Congratulations to all the winners of these fun and “spirited” Halloween Happenings. And  you’re welcome for this story, which is particularly important because, by the time November 1 arrived, all of these scenes disappeared, just like any good apparition would!

Writer(s): Kevin Doerr | pvmnews@purdue.edu

Priority 4 Paws and Area Animal Shelters Join with Zeigler Subaru to turn Showroom into Adoption Center for a Day

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With shiny new Subarus as a backdrop, pets up for adoption captured the attention of visitors to Zeigler Subaru of Lafayette as the dealership collaborated with Purdue’s Priority 4 Paws program and two animal shelters to host an adoption event as part of Subaru’s 5^th annual National Make A Dog’s Day. As customers visited the dealer showroom at 1600 S. Creasy Lane between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 21, they were greeted by a number of cats and dogs ready to be adopted by people looking to provide them with a place to call home. The Almost Home Humane Society in Lafayette and the Clinton County Humane Society in Frankfort brought the pets to the dealership for the event, which was held as part of the nationwide Subaru Loves Pets Month.

According to Ziegler Subaru of Lafayette, the event was another huge success, positively impacting the lives of 13 pets: nine cats and four dogs. The dealership also helped the Almost Home Humane Society by sponsoring all adoptions for the month of October with their #ClearTheShelter campaign. For the month, a total of 37 dogs and 76 cats were adopted, up 85% and 65% compared to average months for each respective species. General Sales Manager Sean Summers said, “We are very grateful for the opportunity to be able to help serve Priority 4 Paws and the surrounding animal shelters to help find forever homes for pets in need!”

Both the Almost Home Humane Society and the Clinton County Humane Society have a partnership with Purdue through the Priority 4 Paws (P4P) shelter medicine program that provides high-quality medical and surgical care for shelter animals while educating the next generation of veterinarians. Ashlee Hershman, RVT, P4P lead technician, and veterinary students Elliot Westrich and Maija Woodruff, of the DVM Class of 2026, were on hand at the event to represent P4P and the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital. The pets up for adoption had been spayed and neutered by veterinary students through the P4P program.

“Working in an animal shelter is physically- and emotionally-challenging work. The staff of Almost Home Humane Society and Clinton County Humane Society do an amazing job caring for these animals until they find a loving adoptive home,” said Dr. Ryan Hill, Purdue clinical assistant professor of shelter medicine and mobile surgery. “Priority 4 Paws is honored to be entrusted by these shelters to aid their animals on the journey to adoption by spaying, neutering, and providing basic medical care to them while also teaching veterinary students surgical and medical skills they will use every day as veterinarians. We also greatly appreciate the collaboration with Ziegler Subaru of Lafayette that spotlights these efforts and helps place these animals in loving homes.”

Dr. Emily Curry, clinical assistant professor of shelter medicine, further explained that senior veterinary students provide basic primary medical and surgical care for animals from all of P4P’s established shelter and rescue partners. “The goal is to improve each patient’s overall health, well-being, and adoptability,” Dr. Curry said. “The students also provide recommendations to the shelters and rescues regarding any specific follow up care for each patient in order to relay that information to future adopters.”

Subaru’s National Make A Dog’s Day was created by Subaru to invite all dog lovers to do something special for their animal companions and to consider adopting an animal from a shelter, especially a special needs dog. Since 2008, Subaru and its retailers have donated over $51 million to national and local organizations and impacted the lives of over 420,000 animals.

Writer(s): Purdue Veterinary Medicine News | pvmnews@purdue.edu

In Memory: Dr. John C. Pickett (PU DVM ’69)

The Purdue Veterinary Medicine community is saddened to learn that Dr. John C. Pickett, Jr., a dedicated and highly respected Lafayette, Indiana veterinarian and Purdue graduate passed away November 3. He was 81. 

A native of Sheridan, Indiana, Dr. Pickett was the oldest of eight children.  After graduating from Sheridan High School, he enrolled at Purdue University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in animal sciences before being accepted into the College of Veterinary Medicine to pursue his passion for veterinary science. While at Purdue, he became an active member of the Reamers Club and was the president of Cary Quad. He earned his Purdue DVM degree in 1969.

Following graduation, Dr. Pickett went into private practice and became the owner of the Lafayette Veterinary Hospital, now known as VCA Lafayette Animal Hospital. His dedicated service to his patients and the veterinary medical profession was recognized in 1993 when he was selected as a recipient of the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Distinguished Alumnus Award. Dr. Pickett also was very active in the Indiana Veterinary Medical Association (IVMA) and served as the IVMA president in 1988. 

“As one of our Distinguished Alumni, and a longtime, caring practitioner in our local community, Dr. Pickett was an important pillar in the veterinary medical profession in Indiana and a key example of professionalism and caring through the way he lived, worked, and served in Greater Lafayette,” said Purdue Veterinary Medicine Dean Willie Reed. “He will be greatly missed.”

Outside of his career, Dr. Pickett enjoyed a variety of hobbies including gardening. He was trained as a Purdue Master Gardener and showcased his green thumb by cultivating beautiful landscapes, wildflowers, and especially tomatoes. He also was highly involved with the Boy Scouts of America and Kiwanis International, where he dedicated his time making a positive impact in the community.

Dr. Pickett is remembered as a loving husband to his wife, Ann, and a dedicated father to three children, Jack, Heather Perica, and Luke, all of whom are Purdue graduates. His extended family also has Purdue ties with two daughters-in-law, Purdue graduates Angela Pickett and Lisa Arafune Pickett, serving as executive assistant to the dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine and chief of staff to the dean of engineering, respectively.

Friends and family are invited to attend memorial services for Dr. Pickett, which will be held at First Christian Church of Lafayette on Sunday November 19. The 4:00 p.m. service will be preceded by a visitation beginning at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Purdue DVM General Scholarship program, a cause for which Dr. Pickett was especially passionate. Click here to make a gift.

Click here to view a complete obituary.

Writer(s): Kevin Doerr | pvmnews@purdue.edu

“Paws Up” – Brought to you by the PVM Wellness Committee

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On the eve of Veterans Day we offer our heartfelt gratitude to our remarkable colleagues and students in the PVM community who have chosen to serve our nation in the military. We also deeply appreciate the sacrifices made by family members and the significant others of those who have served. Your solid dedication and commitment are an inspiration for all of us and it’s an honor to work alongside you. Thank you!

Fostering a healthy work environment involves expressing appreciation and gratitude. Is there someone you would like to acknowledge today? It’s easy to make a Paws Up submission – just follow this link.  Submissions are published anonymously and may be edited for length. Any staff, faculty, student, or team may be nominated by anyone in our college. For more information, visit the PVM Wellness Committee website.

Writer(s): PVM Wellness Committee | pvmnews@purdue.edu

Purdue Veterinary Student Receives Scholarship from AKC Humane Fund, Inc.

The AKC® Humane Fund, Inc. has announced the 2023 recipients of the Sir John D. Spurling Scholarship and one is a first-year Purdue veterinary student. The scholarship, which celebrates the human-canine bond, is given to students enrolled in courses of study that contribute to the well-being of dogs and the advancement of responsible pet ownership. The scholarship is named in honor of Sir John D. Spurling, founder of PetPartners, Inc., which provides pet health insurance to pet owners throughout the United States.

The Purdue veterinary student selected as one of this year’s five scholarship recipients is Kennedi Robinson, of the DVM Class of 2027. In announcing the 2023 scholarship recipients, the president of the AKC Humane Fund, Doug Ljungren, said, “These five outstanding students are the future of exemplary pet care professionals. Each one of them has demonstrated their dedication to higher education and a passion for animal welfare, which are important to the AKC Humane Fund. We are pleased to award them with these scholarships and are excited to see what they do in the future.”

The AKC Humane Fund awards $2,500 to each of the five scholarship recipients, payable as tuition assistance to accredited institutions in which each student is enrolled in courses of study focusing on the care of pets.

The AKC Humane Fund^SM promotes responsible pet ownership through education, outreach, and grant-making. Through its programs, the AKC Humane Fund supports Parent Club Rescue activities; assists shelters for domestic abuse victims that permit pets; and provides resources for responsible dog ownership education.

Writer(s): Kevin Doerr | pvmnews@purdue.edu

Dr. Skip Jackson Dog Jog Achieves Tail-wagging Success to Benefit Priority 4 Paws Shelter Medicine Program

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If you happened to be on the Purdue University campus near the College of Veterinary Medicine on the morning of Saturday, September 23, you were certainly in for a treat. The 2023 Dr. Skip Jackson Dog Jog 5K was held at the conclusion of the Purdue Veterinary Conference that day and featured 111 human runners and close to 60 furry companions, including four adoptable dogs from a local animal shelter. Equally significant, the race raised some $3,000 to support Priority 4 Paws, the college’s shelter medicine program that provides high-quality medical and surgical care for shelter animals while educating the next generation of veterinarians.

This year’s race was coordinated by co-chairs Allison Holahan and Morgan Watkins, of the DVM Class of 2025, Elliot Westrich, of the DVM Class of 2026, and first-year veterinary student Dalton Whitehead.  Together, they arranged all the details of the event with aid from the PVM administration. “We know how important the Dr. Skip Jackson Dog Jog is to the Purdue Veterinary Medicine family, so we worked hard this year to make sure that it was a positive experience that could bring our entire community together,” Elliot said.

The day of the race yielded an incredible volunteer turn out from both the College of Veterinary Medicine and some undergraduate organizations, including A Cause for Paws. Sponsors included SAVMA Purdue (Purdue chapter of the Student American Veterinary Medical Association), National Veterinary Associates (NVA), McAffee Animal Hospital, Doppler Veterinary Network, Pet Wellness Clinics, and Coyne Veterinary Services. Fleet Feet Sports in West Lafayette donated gift cards to the top four winners.

Representatives of two local animal shelters, Natalie’s Second Chance Dog Shelter and the Humane Society for Greater Lafayette, also came to the race this year. Natalie’s Second Chance brought the four adoptable dogs, and all of them participated in the race, joining with humans to form human-canine pairs. “We were very happy to have shelter dogs in the race again this year and hope to invite more next year,” Allison said.

The race began and ended in front of Lynn Hall, near the Continuum sculpture, with Dean Willie Reed giving the starting command, and a running clock at the finish-line displaying the times of the participants as they completed the course. Prizes were given to the top finishers. Congratulations to each of the award winners!

Top Two Canine and Human Pairs:

• Michael Zenzola, a Purdue student in civil engineering, and his canine companion finished the course with a time of 24:22
• Kevin Oliver, a Purdue staff member in Capital Program Management, and his canine counterpart crossed the finish line with a time of 28:46

Top Female Overall:

• Kristy Parker, of the DVM Class of 2027, completed the race with a time of 22:11

Top Male Overall:

• Paul McDonald, of the DVM Class of 2025, finished the race with a time of 18:41

Thank you to all who volunteered at this year’s race and donated to the cause!

Professional photos of the Dog Jog are available to view with free digital downloads sized for social media (or prints available for purchase) at the Ed Lausch Photography website. Click here to access the 2023 Dog Jog photo gallery. The password for the gallery is: 2023PVM.

Writer(s): Madeline Brod, communications intern | pvmnews@purdue.edu

Award-winning Communications Intern Returns to PVM Communications Team

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The Purdue Veterinary Medicine Communications Team is pleased to welcome back Madeline Brod, now an award-winning senior in the College of Liberal Arts Degree-in-Three accelerated degree program. Madeline initially worked as our PVM communications intern during the 2021-2022 academic year when she was a first-year student. During that time, one of the features she wrote was about then fourth-year veterinary student Bre Wilson and her study abroad experiences. That story, published in the Summer 2022 PVM Report, was submitted for the Brian Lamb School of Communications 2023 Gold Carpet Gala Awards this past spring and won as the Best Print Article.

Now in her third year, Madeline is studying public relations and strategic communications. She rejoined the PVM Communications Team as of October 11 and will be writing stories for PVM for the remainder of the fall semester. 

Madeline also is a member of the Purdue “All-American” Marching Band, in which she serves as section leader for the mellophones, and successfully auditioned for Boiler Brass – the pep band for Purdue Men’s Basketball. Additionally, when she has some moments of free time, Madeline enjoys reading, playing piano, sipping on lattes at local coffee shops, going to the gym, and hanging out with her Chihuahua mix “Arri”, named after the former World-Series-winning pitcher for the Chicago Cubs, Jake Arrieta. As a person who is passionate about animals and the art of communication Maddie is excited to be back with the PVM Communications Team, polishing her communications skills in preparation for a fast-approaching communications career.

Madeline can be reached via email at brod@purdue.edu.

Writer(s): Kevin Doerr | pvmnews@purdue.edu

Purdue Veterinary Professionals and Firefighters Train Jointly to Increase Preparedness for Equine Emergencies

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Picture a large animal trailer overturned or stuck in the mud, with animals trapped inside. Imagine that you are responsible to rescue them. That is a daunting proposition, but it is something that veterinary professionals and fire department rescue personnel have to be ready to deal with on any day and at a moment’s notice. Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue (TLAER) addresses large animal emergency situations by training people how to safely help and extract the animals.

That is why a joint TLAER training exercise involving the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine and Purdue University Fire Department (PUFD) was regarded as exceptional and invaluable by the 35 participants. The three-day program in August featured hands-on exercises that took place at the Veterinary Farm on South River Road, with additional classroom sessions and a horse-caught-in-a-manhole simulation at the Physical Facilities Service Building on Ahlers Drive. 

Organized through a partnership between Purdue’s Administrative Operations (AO) and College of Veterinary Medicine (PVM), the program utilized a horse mannequin that was placed in disaster settings, enabling the veterinary medical and PUFD personnel to learn techniques for keeping animals and themselves safe during emergency rescues, such as a horse caught in a burning barn, trapped in an overturned trailer, or caught by the leg in a broken wooden bridge deck. The simulations marked the first time Purdue has hosted this type of training. 

Personnel from PUFD and the Morgantown Volunteer Fire Department joined with PVM clinicians, staff, and students to participate in the training. The PVM attendees represented the college’s Equine and Farm Animal Hospitals as well as Bovine Field Services, Anesthesia and Diagnostic Imaging, and the Caesars Entertainment Equine Specialty Hospital in Shelbyville. They included veterinarians and veterinary nurses, residents, interns, and DVM students.

Robin Ridgway, director of Environmental Health and Safety Compliance, part of the AO organization, was instrumental in developing the partnership that brought TLAER to Purdue. Ridgway co-authored a publication on horse trailer safety for Purdue Extension. This co-authorship led the Morgantown Fire Department and the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital to Ridgway.

“To me as a horse owner, it made a lot of sense to have a partnership between the veterinary college and our fire department, not only for managing potential issues in our own hospital that serves the community, but also for possible emergencies in the areas surrounding Purdue,” said Ridgway.

The College of Veterinary Medicine funded the training and invited PUFD to participate. “This training is invaluable for our veterinary hospital staff. It helps us to provide safer care for our patients as well as a safer environment for our team,” said Amy Balser, Veterinary Hospital clinical services coordinator and interim large animal nursing supervisor. “It created a stronger working relationship between the large animal services in the hospital and fire department that will be critical in safely maneuvering injured animals that arrive at the hospital.”  

Purdue Fire Chief Brad Anderson was eager to have PUFD participate in the training. “Purdue is unique, having its own fire department,” Chief Anderson said. “In addition to providing fire and emergency medical services to the Purdue West Lafayette campus, we continually look for opportunities to collaborate with groups across campus. TLAER was a great opportunity to partner with Purdue Veterinary Medicine and support a new opportunity for veterinary students. It also allows us to provide a new service to the community. Fire department staff are trained, equipped, and experienced in a variety of technical rescue disciplines including rope rescue, confined space, and vehicle extrication.”

As part of AO and someone who is familiar with university organizations and facilities, Ridgway was happy to take on the role of training coordinator, working with Waterworks, Grounds, and other departments.

Balser said her first exposure to this kind of training was several years ago when she attended a similar session while working as a zookeeper at the Kansas City Zoo. “I have seen how that training enabled me to work more safely and train others to do so as well.”

The training at Purdue was led by Dr. Rebecca (Gimenez) Husted, who is an educator, facilitator, and consultant for TLAER. She has a long history of providing this kind of training and was involved in writing and editing the first textbook on this subject. She has conducted training worldwide, in more than ten countries and across the United States.

“Incident command, teamwork, leadership, and followership are the skills that allow better employment of the techniques and methodologies we teach, while ensuring that the equipment is utilized correctly,” Dr. Husted said. “Without the former, having the latter does not do a thing. Once you see it, you can’t unsee it, and in general once people ‘get it’ they really GET IT and can apply the concepts to any situation. The joint participation of the veterinary medical staff and students with the fire department allows each organization to bring their expertise and skills to a real event and by knowing each other as well as each one’s strengths and weaknesses, they are able to leverage the resources and knowledge to make responses more efficient and more successful.”

Balser said she reached out to Dr. Husted three years ago to initiate discussion of the training. Ridgeway connected Chief Anderson, firefighter Corey Matricia, and Balser early in 2023 because the PUFD was interested in attaining the training and partnering with the Veterinary Hospital to work toward establishment of a local team to respond to these kinds of large animal emergencies.

“In my courses, I tell the fire department that they simply must have veterinary expertise available and preferred on scene,” Dr. Husted said. “And I tell veterinarians that they really need to consider having the fire department on scene sooner than later because their job is a puzzle solving job.”

In the case of an animal rescue, PUFD personnel can provide the technical rescue expertise, scene management capability, and emergency medical services, complimenting the skill and ability of the campus veterinary staff. PUFD serves as a liaison between other agencies to safely facilitate animal rescue.

Reflecting on the training, Chief Anderson said, “TLAER was an excellent opportunity for both Purdue Veterinary Medicine and the fire department to practice and develop those skills. I am excited to see this program develop over the next several years. This program demonstrates how collaboration can benefit multiple departments, Purdue students, our community, and beyond.”

Balser said the response from the Veterinary Hospital team that attended was amazingly positive. “They immediately began identifying elements in the Veterinary Hospital’s existing large animal procedures and protocols that could be enhanced by incorporating techniques learned at the training to increase our team and patient safety.”

PUFD, Environmental Health and Safety Compliance, Waterworks, and Grounds are all a part of the Administrative Operations organization. The organization supports the university by providing safe, reliable, and transformative services. Coordinating training efforts and providing professional and safety development opportunities are just a couple of the ways the organization helps power Purdue.

Writer(s): Victoria Deno, Purdue Administrative Operations Communications, and Kevin Doerr | pvmnews@purdue.edu