STARKVILLE, Miss. -- The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has awarded the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine a grant to support the college’s Mobile Veterinary Clinics.

The $20,000 grant will help offset some of the expenses incurred as the Mobile Veterinary Clinics travel to 20 north Mississippi animal shelters, where students spay and neuter homeless animals. The program is funded solely by grants and donations.

“This is such an important program for our students and for our community,” said Jimmy Kight, director of development at the veterinary college. “This generous grant helps cover the many operational expenses it takes to keep the program successful.”

Kight said a key reason organizations and donors support the program is because it gives students unparalleled surgical experience and makes shelter animals more adoptable.

“It is part of what helps MSU-CVM excel in shelter medicine education, and we are honored that others want to be part of that by providing needed financial support,” he said.

Dr. Phil Bushby, retired MSU-CVM Marcia Lane Endowed Chair in Humane Ethics and Animal Welfare, has inspired students to help raise money to keep the program moving forward.

“The grant from the ASPCA enables us to provide veterinary students with surgical experience, help get the animals adopted and educate pet owners about the importance of taking those animals to their community veterinarians to ensure good health for as long as possible,” Bushby said. “We are grateful for the ASPCA’s continued support.”

For more information on the shelter medicine program, visit http://www.cvm.msstate.edu.

Contact: Karen Templeton, 662-325-1100