The public has a chance to visit MSU’s very own animal house.
The College of Veterinary Medicine is holding its 38th annual Vet-A-Visit, an open house in the College of Veterinary Medicine on Saturday.
Jodi Hewett, Vet-A-Visit co-chairwoman and third-year veterinary medicine student, said it’s the nation’s largest college open house. The free event will feature activities for both adults and children.
“Adults can come in and see a presentation with a gentleman from National Geographic, and children can milk a cow, visit the petting zoo or listen to a sheep’s heart,” Hewett said.
The theme of the event is “It’s an Animal Planet: The Creatures With Which We Share Our World.” The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.
Hewett said the idea came from the upcoming visit of the Animal Planet network.
MSU will be the setting for a new show on the cable channel called “Vet School Confidential.”
“The whole college will be on there so we thought it would be kind of nice to tie in the idea,” Hewett said.
The open house will also allow the public to see the College of Veterinary Medicine college can perform CAT scans and ultrasounds on animals just like doctors can in hospitals for humans, said second-year veterinary technician Sarah Lundy.
“It gives the public a chance to see what the school offers as far as technological equipment and what the students are doing,” she said.
She said the open house is the only chance the public has to tour the college because traffic in the building is restricted for the animal’s safety.
The event will also include a round table forum with students and faculty on how to get into veterinary school as well as the paths they took in their education.
“Since this is an entire student run event it is also a great way for prospective veterinary students to talk to them and see what it is like,” Linda Chadderdon, spokeswoman for the college, said.
“It is an opportunity to educate the public on issues that concern them and it is also a opportunity for the students and staff to thank them for their support.”
