Eight-year-old Kendal Binkley loves horses and wants to be a veterinarian when she grows up. On Saturday, she got a glance of what a day in the life of a vet looks like.
Binkley and her mother came from Lake Mary to join more than 1,000 others at the UF College of Veterinary Medicine’s annual open house.
From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., visitors toured the animal hospitals, petted animals and observed medical equipment in use on live animals. This year’s event featured the addition of the new UF Small Animal Hospital tour and pet adoptions.
Groups of about 20 people were led on 30-minute tours through the first floor of the new hospital, which contains the emergency receiving area and exam rooms.
On the tour, people were showed the emergency room, the intensive care unit and progressive care unit.
Guests also got to see an array of about 60 different dogs and cats available for adoption.
The animals were provided by Helping Hands Pet Rescue, a local volunteer animal adoption agency.
Along with tours and adoptions, this year’s open house also featured events specifically geared for children, according to Dana Zimmel, the chief of staff of the UF Veterinary Hospitals.
“Part of our mission here is to encourage people to join our profession, and it starts at a young age,” Zimmel said. “And so we want to expose people when they’re small about this career path.”
The UF Veterinary Hospitals hosted a pet-drawing competition for children at local elementary schools to raise interest in the event. A teddy bear clinic also was available for children who needed to have their stuffed animals repaired, she said.
Lectures were given for parents and teens who were interested in what it takes to get into the UF College of Veterinary Medicine, Zimmel said.
UF has the only veterinary school in Florida, and about 800 people apply for only 100 spots given each year.
