2016 marks OVC Pet Trust’s 30th anniversary of helping pets and the people who love and care for them. 

Saying goodbye to a beloved pet and family member is never easy. With the support of veterinary hospitals, individuals and alumni, donations to the Pet Memorial Program provide comfort to clients and friends who are grieving and honours the memory of a pet. Memorial gifts allow Pet Trust to support areas of greatest need in companion animal medicine and research at the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC), including canine and feline health, cancer and a current fundraising campaign to create new surgery and anesthesia facilities at OVC. 

Burlington Animal Hospital has been supporting innovative discoveries, healthcare and education at OVC since Pet Trust was established in 1986. The Pet Trust team paid the hospital a visit this summer to say thank you. 

Burlington Animal Hospital 

The team at Burlington Animal Hospital 
 

Burlington Animal Hospital (BAH) was built in the late 1960s, and today they’re owned by Associate Veterinary Clinics (AVC) – a network of more than 80 hospitals across Canada. The feeling of family throughout the hospital is obvious – something the team always aims to extend to their clients and patients as well. Honouring the memory of a pet by donating to Pet Trust is just one of the ways BAH comforts its clients during this difficult time. BAH has donated more than $50,000 to OVC Pet Trust’s Pet Memorial Program over the past 30 years. 

Burlington Animal Hospital has been serving the community for more than 50 years, and they offer mobile veterinary services, too. 
 

“When it’s time for one of our clients to say goodbye to their pet, we create a soothing environment in our hospital – our team puts a lot of work and care into preparing the waiting room and exam room including providing comfortable blankets, treats for clients to offer their pet, as well as posting signage to alert other hospital staff that a euthanasia is being performed in the building,” says Lindsay, BAH’s practice administrator. 

One of BAH's exam rooms 
 

Lindsay says pet owners are always grateful after BAH makes a donation to Pet Trust in memory of their pet. “They are thankful their hospital contributed to such a great cause. It helps take a very sad, challenging situation and put a positive light on things – they feel comfort knowing the gift in memory of their pet may help other animals.” 
 

Dr. Andrea Pechey, OVC 2011, often hears from pet owners after her hospital has made a donation to Pet Trust as well, and says she’s grateful when she receives thank you cards from clients after such a challenging time. “The fact that a client trusts me to be present at one of the most intimate moments of their pets’ life is truly an honour; I’m very happy we can, in turn, honour the life of the pet by donating to OVC Pet Trust and the future of veterinary medicine.”

Thank you for welcoming the OVC Pet Trust team into your hospital, BAH! 
 

To learn more about OVC Pet Trust’s Pet Memorial Program, how to become an OVC Pet Trust Hospital or to make a donation in memory of a best friend, please contact the Pet Trust team’s Outreach Coordinator, Bailey Kagan: bkagan@uoguelph.ca, or 519-824-4120 ext. 58214.