Purdue News
Purdue NewsThe fellowships provide funding for graduate students to study pet behavior and assess the quality of veterinary medical care. They will work within the Center for Applied Ethology and Human-Animal Interaction and the section of clinical epidemiology in the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology in the School of Veterinary Medicine.
The first fellowship, the "Kenneth Scott Fellowship in Animal Welfare and Veterinary Preventative Medicine," will begin in July. The graduate veterinary student will be chosen through an international search and will have practice experience and an interest in animal welfare issues. The person selected will focus on developing methods for animal shelters to improve animal health and welfare through changes in management, nutrition and the environment.
The other fellowship, the "Kenneth Scott Fellowship in Animal Behavior and Population Medicine," will begin in July 1998. This position will provide a three-year clinical residency focusing on how animal behavior affects the human-animal bond. The graduate student will work closely with Dr. Andrew Luescher, an animal behaviorist who, in July, will become the director of Purdue's new Behavior Clinic for Companion Animals. The new clinic will begin accepting cases of companion animal behavior problems in September.
"Both of these positions have the potential to really make a difference in the quality of life for pets and their owners," said Dr. Lawrence T. Glickman, professor of epidemiology and environmental health. "By identifying and possibly changing animal and human behaviors, we can slow the number of pets turned over to animal shelters and, often times, euthanized."
The positions are being funded for four years by a gift of $222,860, from KeyBank, trustee for the Kenneth Scott Charitable Trust. The check was presented April 19 during the annual Veterinary School open house. The late Kenneth Scott was a Cleveland, Ohio, resident who established the trust to promote the welfare of small animals.
The Center for Applied Ethology and Human-Animal Interaction at Purdue was established in 1983 by faculty from the Schools of Veterinary Medicine, Agriculture, Science, Liberal Arts and Consumer and Family Sciences. It is dedicated to better understanding the relationships that exist among humans, animals and the environment.
CONTACT: Glickman, (765) 494-6301
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; e-mail, purduenews@purdue.edu
