AKC grants $100,000 to MSU veterinary college

Mississippi State - 7/21/2007 - Mississippi State University's College of Veterinary Medicine was awarded a $100,000 grant by the American Kennel Club (AKC) to assist in times of civil or natural disaster.

Citing CVM's philosophy, dedication and program design, AKC's Companion Animal Recovery (CAR) affiliate announced the award during the Mississippi Veterinary Medical Association's annual meeting.

"We feel that CVM was very deserving of the grant and had very clear plans on what it planned to do with the money to benefit companion animal recovery and welfare," says Gregory Beck, sales manager for AKC CAR headquarters. CVM partnered with CAR after Hurricane Katrina to assist hundreds of displaced animals.

Helping reunite owners with lost pets, CAR provides a 24-hour recovery service for animals registered in its database and identified by either a microchip, tattoo or AKC CAR collar tag. Approximately three million animals, including dogs, cats, horses and birds, are in the database, and more than 300,000 companion animals have been reunited with their families.

CVM is applying the grant to purchase a state-of-the-art veterinary mobile response unit, housed in a trailer that contains a surgical suite, treatment table and holding cages for small animals awaiting or recovering from treatment. Medical staff and students working inside have digital radiology and hematology diagnostic and laboratory capabilities, and the trailer can be powered by diesel fuel.