Visit the Veterinary Medical Center, The Raptor Center, Equine Center, and more, College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Minnesota

Media Alert
For Immediate Release

Contacts:
Brian Graves
College of Veterinary Medicine
612-624-6228, grave237@umn.edu

Abby DeHoop
The Raptor Center
612-624-2756, deho0006@umn.edu

U of M College of Veterinary Medicine Open House

What:
Annual Spring Open House at the College of Veterinary Medicine and The Raptor Center. Admission is free and the event is open to the public. No reservations are required.

When:
Sunday, April 6, 2008
11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where:
The College of Veterinary Medicine, 1365 Gortner Ave., St. Paul
The Raptor Center, 1920 Fitch Ave., St. Paul

Both facilities are located on the St. Paul campus of the University of Minnesota.

Public parking is free and available in the Gortner Avenue Ramp adjacent to both facilities.

Why:
Get a look at the workings of the Veterinary Medical Center, where over 45,000 small and large animal cases were treated last year by more than 100 veterinarians and where The Raptor Center rehabilitated more than 700 birds last year.

• Learn about the services, research, and educational opportunities offered by the College of Veterinary Medicine.
• Visit The Raptor Center, see eagles, hawks, owls, and falcons and hear their stories, and meet the veterinarians who treat hundreds of birds of prey each year.
• Tour the small and large animal hospitals in the Veterinary Medical Center.
• Tour the new Leatherdale Equine Center.  See this amazing new facility that benefits horses and the equine community.
• Learn about admission to the veterinary program and hear from a panel of veterinary students.
• Visit more than 40 animal and veterinary-related booths representing educational opportunities, animal welfare, and the well-being of animals. 
• Hands-on activities, demonstrations, and exhibits.
• Book signing by Dr. Peggy Root Kustritz promoting two new books: The Dog Breeder’s Guide to Successful Breeding and Health Management by Margaret V. Root Kustritz, D.V.M., and The Merck/Merial Manual for Pet Health – Home Edition, to which Dr. Margaret Kustritz and Dr. Stephanie Valberg are contributors. 

The Dog Breeder’s Guide to Successful Breeding and Health Management provides serious dog breeders valuable veterinary information in an easy-to-understand format, right at their fingertips. Each chapter begins with answers to frequently asked questions and then provides in-depth information on topics from nutrition and basic health to the specifics of breeding management and emergency situations.

The Merck/Merial Manual for Pet Health – Home Edition is a complete health resource guide for all pets from dogs and cats to exotic birds and fish. Traditionally published for veterinarians, this guide is now available as a home edition, written in everyday language for all pet owners.

Schedule of activities:

Background:
The University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine was founded in 1947 as the 11^th college of veterinary medicine in the United States. The mission of the college is to improve the health and well-being of animals and people by providing high-quality veterinary training, providing specialized animal care to the pets and livestock of the region, and conducting leading-edge research.

The Raptor Center was established in 1974 within the College of Veterinary Medicine to provide medical treatment and rehabilitation to injured birds of prey. The Raptor Center is internationally known for pioneering and perfecting techniques in avian medicine and surgery, restoring the peregrine falcon in the Midwest, and advancing the health of raptors and other avian species through ongoing research.

Photo and video opportunities will be available at the event.