Nine Purdue Veterinary Medicine volunteers and three animal emissaries traveled to the Indiana Statehouse on Monday, February 18, to share information about the need for a new Veterinary Teaching Hospital with key legislators. The PVM delegation hosted a booth as part of Purdue Day at the Statehouse. The annual event enables strategically selected Purdue units to interact with lawmakers and explain the importance of Purdue programs and funding.
The caravan of PVM staff and faculty who traveled to downtown Indianapolis for the event included Chloe, a 12-year-old Golden Retriever escorted by Brittany Vale, health information administrator in the Veterinary Teaching Hospital; Kip, a two-year-old service Labrador escorted by Dr. Theresa Buchheit, continuing lecturer in the Department of Veterinary Administration; and Bindi, a 22-year old Moluccan cockatoo escorted by Laura Murray, research technologist in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences. The animals were very successful in attracting visitors to the PVM booth, as they provided entertainment along with an opportunity for engagement. Between pets and squawks, the feathered and four-legged delegates helped make a compelling case to lawmakers about PVM’s One Health mission and the vital need for a new Veterinary Teaching Hospital in the Hoosier State.
A special thank you is in order for Dr. Nickie Baird, professor of large animal surgery and Large Animal Hospital chief of staff, and Lee Ann Happ, executive assistant to the dean, as well as Dr. Buchheit, Laura, Brittany, and Alex Hegg, of the DVM Class of 2019, for their volunteerism and pet management as members of the PVM delegation. Thank you also to Susan Xioufaridou and Lauren Bruce for their efforts to organize PVM’s participation in Purdue Day at the Statehouse. In addition, the College appreciates the participation of Drs. Bob Jackman (PU DVM ’67) and Rob Jackman (PU DVM ’92) who represented alumni and referring veterinarians’ interests related to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital.