SUNY Delhi receives gift to expand spay and neuter program

Vicky Klukkert, The Daily Star, Oneonta, N.Y.
·2 min read

Sep. 12—SUNY Delhi's Veterinary Technology program will be able to expand its spay and neuter program after it received a $215,000 gift.

"We were contacted by an anonymous donor who wanted to learn about our vet tech program and the services our faculty and students offer," Michael Sullivan, vice president for college advancement at SUNY Delhi, said. "We talked about what we do and what we could do with the donation."

Sullivan said SUNY Delhi Dean of the School of Veterinary and Professional Studies Bret Meckel and area veterinarians work together to provide spay and neuter services to animals at local humane organizations, including Heart of the Catskills Humane Society and Susquehanna SPCA. The clinics offer hands-on learning to the veterinary technology students, who assist the veterinarians during the surgeries, Meckel said.

The shelters' dogs and cats also give the students hands-on training in taking blood and urine samples and conducting clinical observations, Meckel said. The animals also receive one-on-one attention from the students in separate play rooms in Farnsworth Hall. The animals are either adopted straight from SUNY Delhi or are returned to the humane society to be adopted.

"The gift will double our capacity of the spay and neuter program," Meckel said. The college currently spays and neuters 180 animals per year and the hope is to be able to spay and neuter 400 animals.

The expansion will also provide the underserved local community access to an affordable spay and neuter option for their pets, a media release said.

The $215,000 gift will also allow the program to establish a new community-facing animal clinic in Farnsworth Hall on campus. Farnsworth Hall is undergoing a major renovation through the State University Construction Fund, which will include a reception area for the community to interact with students. This will give students real world hands-on experience, which will make such a difference in learning and preparing them for life after graduation, Sullivan said.

The college offers both associate — online and in person — and bachelor's degrees in veterinary technology, Meckel said. It is the first year the college has offered the online course. There are 220 students in the associate degree program and 50 students in the bachelor's degree program. Students learn, not only on dogs, cats, rats and primates on campus, but also on chickens, cows, sheep, goats, horses and alpacas at the college farm.

SUNY Delhi was the first college in the country to offer a veterinary science technology program and is fully accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association, the release said.

Vicky Klukkert, staff writer, can be reached at vklukkert@thedailystar.com or 607-441-7221.