Canine Educators Dress in their Halloween Best for Annual Parade and Contest

Eddie stands against a backdrop with pumpkins sitting beside him as he stands wearing his costume
Winning first place in the costume contest, is Eddie the Little UPS Man.

Purdue Veterinary Medicine’s Canine Educator Costume Parade took place on Friday, October 29 to spread some spooky cheer just before Halloween. Each of the caring canines dressed up in their cutest, spookiest, or most “terrifying” costume and took a stroll around campus with the Canine Educator Care Team, making countless people smile. So, in case you missed it, here is your canine filled serotonin boost!

Costumes included bugs and balloons, doctors and dragons, movie characters and cute little critters, and more! A voting ballot was shared with faculty and staff of Lynn Hall that contained pictures of the 26 adorable contestants, allowing them to vote for their favorite canine costume. Results were tallied at the end of the week to determine a winner.

Otis sits in a decorated wagon with the help of his coffee loving helpers
Winning second place in the costume contest, is Otis the Pup Cup in a Starbucks inspired wagon scene.

After a week of suspenseful waiting, the winners of the costume contest were announced this morning (Friday, October 5). The best dressed canines were:

  • In first place, Eddie the Little UPS Man
  • In second place, Otis the Pup Cup
  • In third place, River and Russell, based on the Disney movie, Up

Congratulations to Eddie the Little UPS Man for presenting the cutest, spooky costume, and thank you to everyone who participated in and supported this annual event!

River and his costume partner show off their costumes with River wearing the Up house along with balloons on his back and his care team member dressed as scout, Russell
River and Russell took third place in their costume inspired by the Disney movie, Up!

The Canine Educator Program at Purdue provides opportunities for DVM students to interact with dogs of all shapes and sizes daily. The dogs are brought in from breeders and are either retired or unable to be used for breeding due to genetic or medical complications, such as heart murmurs or orthopedic problems. The dogs remain at Purdue for a year and help students’ learn how to perform physical exams and practice restraint methods. At the end of each year, the Canine Educators are adopted into a loving family – most of the time by DVM students who can’t help but fall in love with their Canine Educator!

Writer(s): Madeline Brod, PVM Communications Intern | pvmnews@purdue.edu

Recent Stories

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

Today we extend appreciation for Kyle Moffitt who is a Senior IT Technician in PVMIT.

Purdue Veterinary Hospital Participates in One-Day National Effort to Preserve Sight of Service Dogs

The Purdue University Veterinary Hospital’s Ophthalmology Service came to the aid of canines dedicated to lives of service recently during a special day set aside for checking the eye health of service dogs. On May 12, the Ophthalmology Service participated in the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (ACVO)/Epicur National Service Animal Eye Exam event by providing free eye exams for qualified service dogs.

Sophie’s Comeback: Purdue Veterinary Specialists Help a Lame Dog Walk Again

A series of articles about animals and their owners who’ve found help and healing at the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital continues today as we share Sophie’s story. This story begins two years ago when an Easter morning emergency resulted in Sophie being brought to the hospital where veterinarians in the Neurology and Neurosurgery Service gave the paralyzed dog a second chance to walk.

Summer Break Signals Start of Summer Research for Purdue Veterinary Scholars

A feast of classic Indiana picnic food marked the traditional kick-off for the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine’s Veterinary Scholars Summer Research Program. The annual program provides an opportunity for Purdue veterinary students as well as undergraduate students from Purdue and other universities to experience what it is like to conduct clinical and basic science research as they work with a faculty mentor to carry out a summer research project.