AU College of Veterinary Medicine starts work on new Large Animal Teaching Hospital

Fund-raising effort remains vital for latter phases

“Many people have been working on this project for a long time, and we are excited to get underway with actual construction,” said Dean Timothy Boosinger.

The 120,000-square-foot, $32.9 million complex will be one of the largest single construction projects in the history of the college. It will have a modern hospital, equine and cattle barns, admissions office, and other features such as a dual track equine lameness arena.

“The site preparation took place in late 1999, and now with construction started, we will proceed quickly and hopefully occupy the facility within two years,” Boosinger said. “We are starting on Phase 1-A, which will include two equine wards and the lameness arena. This summer, we plan to start on Phase 1-B, the core hospital facility.”

Future phases include a renovation of McAdory Hall, which was built in 1960 and is the oldest large animal complex of its kind in the nation. When it receives the facelift, it will be used for faculty offices, laboratories, and conference and classroom space.

Approximately 18,000 large animals, mostly cattle and horses, are treated each year by the college’s Department of Clinical Sciences, which is one of the highest caseloads in the country, says Professor Dwight Wolfe, co-chair of the building committee.

The new structure will allow the college to increase that number and provide more experience for students in the area of large animal surgery and medicine, Boosinger added.

The College of Veterinary Medicine began planning the project and seeking financial support in 1994. In November 1998, Alabama voters approved the Agriculture Bond Initiative to provide $7.5 million for the new hospital, and last fall voters passed Amendment One to fund that bond issue.

Funding sources also include $7.5 million from the university, $3 million from the veterinary college, and private support from individuals and groups such as the Kentucky Veterinary Medical Association.

The KVMA Foundation has set a goal of $500,000 to be generated by Kentucky veterinarians and the equine industry. Auburn serves as the official veterinary college for Kentucky through an agreement established by the Southern Regional Education Board in 1946, the oldest such cooperative arrangement in the United States.

“Private donations are greatly appreciated and they remain vital for completion of the project,” said Sam Hendrix, the college’s director of development. “Even though we are beginning construction, we still need funds to complete the latter phases.”

For information on supporting the project, Hendrix can be contacted at the College of Veterinary Medicine, at 317 S. College St., Auburn AL 36849, or (334) 844-1446.