Animal Welfare Champions Donate $600K to OVC Pet Trust to Transform OVC’s Surgical Education
Architectural rendering of the Medical & Surgical Learning Centre by mcCallumSather. Design may be subject to change.
University of Guelph alumni Lloyd and Elaine Burrow have made another major gift to support construction and renovation at the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC). This time, the couple contributed $600,000 to OVC Pet Trust's campaign to build the new Medical and Surgical Learning Centre (MSLC).
To acknowledge their gift, spaces in the two-storey veterinary student training facility will be named in honour of their pets.
“We focus our giving on improving life for animals, dogs in particular,” said Lloyd, who also volunteers with several animal welfare and service dog organizations. “Two of our dogs Brandy and Roxy were patients at OVC, and the work of the OVC staff was just exemplary. We wanted to pay it back.”
The couple’s first gift was directed to the renovation of the Intensive Care Unit in OVC’s Companion Animal Hospital in support of patient care. With this new investment in the MSLC, they are seeking to support the whole veterinary profession by addressing its practice needs.
“This gift isn’t exclusive to dogs and cats: It will help farm animals too,” said Lloyd. “It’s supporting the expansion of the whole enterprise of veterinary medicine at OVC.”
The main floor of the MSLC houses the Kim and Stu Lang Community Healthcare Partnership Program (CHPP), which receives animal patient referrals through humane societies and social services. There, under the close supervision of veterinary faculty and clinicians, students have the opportunity to practice common surgical procedures, primarily spays and neuters. On this live patient level, the Burrows will name the Break Room as a nod to the clinicians, and the Pharmacy and Observation Room as an expression of support for the patients.
The second floor of the MSLC is reserved for earlier stage surgical skill development, including dentistry.
Here, the Burrows will name the Learning Lounge for the students. In this way, the couple have lent their names to spaces that provide for clinicians, patients, and student veterinarians.
About choosing to give now, Lloyd quoted financial planner Dan Haylett when he offered, “‘Give while you live.’ If you leave everything in your Will, you’ll never see the impact of your giving. And we enjoy the connections to the OVC staff and the updates about progress at the College.”
Elaine called on her long experience as a Chartered Accountant when she said, “We also benefit from the tax advantage of giving during our lifetime and removing taxable assets from the estate.”
OVC Dean Jeff Wichtel expressed his appreciation for this gift, “We are so grateful to Lloyd and Elaine Burrow who have chosen the welfare of animals as the cause they are committed to serve through their giving and extensive volunteer work. We welcome their partnership with us in the work of accommodating an increased number of veterinary students and enhancing their day-one competencies at the new Medical and Surgical Learning Centre.”
