Design crafted by a horticulture senior spawns lasting improvements to outdoor animal care area
A student-led landscape redesign project has taken root at Purdue University, in the form of outdoor upgrades at the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital. Originally developed by Mary Schultz, a graduating senior in the College of Agriculture’s Horticulture and Landscape Architecture program, the project reimagined outdoor spaces used for animal recovery, training, and enrichment. This summer, the hospital implemented one of the recommendations, which involved replacing natural turf in an outdoor dog run with a new synthetic material.
Schultz’s original concept—part of her senior capstone—was focused on solving practical problems in veterinary outdoor environments, such as erosion, water drainage, and shade coverage. She worked closely with faculty and staff from the College of Veterinary Medicine to evaluate the terrain, understand biosecurity requirements, and propose solutions that balance functionality, aesthetics, and animal well-being.
This summer, the hospital implemented one of the recommendations, which involved replacing natural turf in an outdoor dog run with a new synthetic material. Located adjacent to the hospital’s Intensive Care and Intermediate Care units, the dog run serves as a vital area supporting the recovery of canine patients. The natural grass could not hold up to Indiana’s fluctuating weather patterns and resulted in an unsatisfactory animal care space during bad weather.
“The daily usage of the ICU run for patients contributed to ongoing challenges and unfavorable conditions,” said Director of Hospital Operations Joey Woodyard. “We were thrilled to work with Mary and the College of Agriculture to identify options that created an enduring solution for this important element to our patients’ care.”
The replacement turf is called K9Grass Elite, which is specially designed for pets. The product was installed by Forever Lawn of Northeast Indiana. “Most people are used to seeing that black plastic backing on turf, which has drainage holes punched every few inches to let rainwater and urine pass through,” noted Jori Poling, the company’s administrative coordinator. She said K9Grass is different: it’s completely woven, with no plastic backing at all. Instead, liquid drains straight through the surface immediately and does not have to run to any drainage holes. “Along with the woven construction, the product also has antimicrobial protection built into the blade that continually releases over time,” Poling said.
The installation took place in June. Purdue Veterinary Medicine’s Lead Facilities Manager Scott Fix said the work required one day of prep and one day to install. Included as part of the project is a site inspection as well as maintenance twice per year for the first five years. “The vendor was highly recommended by the Humane Society for Greater Lafayette,” Fix said.
The result is a green space for canine patients that remains suitable regardless of the weather. The improvement also serves as a lasting tribute to Schultz, who developed her landscape design for the hospital during the spring semester. After the semester ended, Schultz’s capstone project was provided to the College of Veterinary Medicine for consideration in future planning.
