Dogs and cats were given baths and had their nails trimmed by Mesa’s Animal Health Technology students in order to raise money for their program. This event is the only day of the year that these facilities are open for the public to come see all of the animals and the hard work that these students have accomplished.
The event took place on Saturday, May 3rd and offered an AHT Program Orientation Session, building tours, residential animal viewing, and veterinary medical displays for the guests to observe and enjoy. This event is always held during May because May is National Pet Month. Jason Kilbourn, an Animal Health Technology student, said, “…we open the program up for the public just to see what we do and to give more awareness out there for our program.” Kilbourn plans to explore the areas of lab research and companion animal training.
Peggy Fischer, a professor for Animal Health Technology who started the program 15 years ago, said that usually around 30 to 40 dogs come in for baths during this fundraiser. However, this year it was much less because of the intense heat. Despite the blazing sun, the event was still a success. Not only were animals getting squeaky clean, the students had posters displayed to provide knowledge on specific animal topics. The posters included information about tapeworms, pet dental care, parasite prevention and more.
“It was great and the posters that they did were so informative…It was a really nice set up,” said Janet Sheely. Guests Susie and Janet Sheely brought in their dog Dolly to get a bath and a nail trim. They said that this was their first time attending the dog wash and that Dolly had a wonderful experience.
Because of the location of the Animal Health Technology building, some students at Mesa may not have known that the program exists. The animal health students are accomplishing productive work in their classes and laboratories located on the corner of Genessee Avenue and Marlesta Drive. There are a wide variety of animals being taken care of beyond just cats and dogs at this facility. The animals that are living with the program currently include horses, goats, kookaburras, turkey vultures, and even a red tail hawk. According to Fischer, most of the dogs and cats at the program come from animal shelters. The exotic animals usually come from agencies such as Project Wildlife, and the goats were donated.
This event allowed Mesa students to check out all the veterinary and animal health classes that their school has to offer. It was also an opportunity for family and friends of the students to see how hard they have been working. It is safe to say that all of the animals are being cared for with love and compassion by students and professors who are passionate about what they do.