AVC holds popular Open House on September 29

AVC’s 30th annual Open House will take place on Saturday, September 29, from 10 am until 2 pm. Hosted by AVC students, faculty, and staff, this family-friendly event offers the community an opportunity to get an inside view of a busy veterinary college.

Whale stranding focus of AVC’s 2018 Animal Welfare in Practice conference

The Atlantic Veterinary College’s 2018 Animal Welfare in Practice conference shines a spotlight on the timely topic of whale stranding. Keynote speaker Dr. Michael Moore, Director, Marine Mammal Center at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Cape Cod, will give a public lecture called “Food for Thought: How we all kill whales” on Friday, September 14, at 7 p.m., in the Alex H. MacKinnon Auditorium, Don and Marion McDougall Hall, UPEI. The conference will take place at UPEI and AVC from September 14 to 15.

AVC plans to install minke whale skeleton in its learning commons

AVC is embarking on an exciting project that will celebrate its long-standing relationship with the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative and recognize the remarkable career of renowned wildlife pathologist Dr. Pierre-Yves Daoust, Professor Emeritus, who retired from AVC in 2018.

AVC welcomes Class of 2022

The Class of 2022 officially started their veterinary education on August 24 at their 2018 AVC-CVMA Blue Coat Ceremony. The new students were presented with blue lab coats, signifying the beginning of their four-year journey toward their doctor of veterinary medicine degrees.

AVC mourns the loss of alumna Dr. Helene Van Doninck

Faculty, staff, and students at the Atlantic Veterinary College were deeply saddened to learn of the death on August 10 of renowned wildlife veterinarian Dr. Helene Van Doninck, AVC Class of 1991.

Dr. Van Doninck dedicated her life to helping animals, particularly injured, sick, or orphaned wildlife. She and her husband, Murdo Messer, established the Cobequid Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in Brookfield, Nova Scotia, in 2001. She was a recognized international expert on the treatment of oiled birds. She worked to eliminate the use of lead in hunting and fishing because of its impact on wildlife, especially eagles.

“On behalf of AVC, I extend deepest sympathy to Murdo, their family and friends, and the many people who were affected by Helene’s dedication to caring for wild animals,” says Dean Greg Keefe. “In addition to her remarkable record as a veterinarian, Helene was a wonderful teacher who freely and gladly passed on her knowledge and expertise in the care of wildlife to our students. We miss her dearly.”

In July she was the recipient of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association’s Humane Award for her dedication to caring for injured wildlife, and in April, AVC’s Award of Excellence in Veterinary Medicine and Animal Care.

DVM and science students learn about research

The Atlantic Veterinary College's 2018 Summer Research and Leadership Program wrapped up on Wednesday, August 29, with the presentations of awards for poster presentations. The three-month program introduces veterinary and science students to careers in veterinary and biomedical research.