CHANCELL-ING: UC Davis Builds a Healthier Future for Local Pets, People
At the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, compassion meets innovation. When Kailana, a joyful Golden Retriever puppy, faced the risk of paralysis, our neurosurgeons, supported by the Compassionate Care Fund, executed a delicate, seven-hour spinal surgery to secure her long-term mobility, showing how our boundary-pushing expertise transforms care.
Stories like this happen every day at the nation’s No. 1 veterinary school. We’re training the next generation of veterinarians and developing research offering hope for animal and human health.
Today, we’re working to expand our capacity to serve our community, and your support will help us achieve more.
When the School of Veterinary Medicine welcomed 42 students in 1948, it met California’s urgent need for veterinarians. By 1978, our school was an internationally recognized innovator in clinical education. We developed the clinical training model for fourth-year DVM students in the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, establishing the national standard for teaching veterinarians.
The need for quality veterinary treatment has not diminished. A 2024 report reveals that a shortage of primary care veterinarians in the United States is reducing access to appointments, delaying treatment and increasing costly emergency visits.
This shortage extends to California, where it affects treatment availability across the state, including two-thirds of shelters that struggle to meet basic medical needs.
At UC Davis, we play a vital role in meeting that need. We’re the premier hospital in the region, serving 50,000 animal patients a year with specialized, innovative care, and we remain a vital training ground for veterinarians serving our state.