St. Petersburg College Veterinary Technology students dropped in on Pawfest at Largo Central Park April 9. Working to promote pet adoption, Pawfest was all fur, fun and no bite.
The SPC Veterinary Technology Program teaches students the skills they need to become veterinary technicians. Our students come from all over the world. The program has seen students from Africa, the Bahamas and China.
For those who decide to take courses on campus, we have special helpers to assist them on their journey. These helpers are our SPC animal residents. All come from local area shelters. While they stay with us, our students assist in spaying or neutering them, giving them their vaccinations, treating them for any other medical problems and even teaching them basic obedience. At the end of each semester, our animals are then put up for adoption.
Our students help find these animals “furever” homes by taking them to local adoption events.
Pawfest, one such event, was put on by Kiwanis Club of Largo/Mid-Pinellas earlier in April. Many different groups were represented at Pawfest – other dog rescues looking for homes, staff from veterinary clinics and pet store representatives. Pawfest featured games and even a K-9 cop demonstration.
SPC Vet Tech also brought a few dogs of their own. Ghost, a 4-year-old Rottweiler/Doberman mix; Romeo, a 3-year-old Labrador/pit mix and Trina, a 3-year-old Australian Shepard/Border collie mix. To change things up, a 4-year-old albino New Zealand rabbit named Alice joined in on the fun. Students and animals alike had a blast, checking out the booths and looking for their “furever” home. Ghost even won second place in the Cutest Dog Contest. Though beaten out by a Newfoundland puppy, SPC Vet Tech is proud of Ghost!
The next event SPC Vet Tech students and animals will attend is Bark in the Park, April 23, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Freedom Lake in Pinellas Park. Proceeds from the event will go to the Pinellas Park K-9 Unit (Police Dog Medical Fund).
If you don’t want to wait to check out our adoptable pets, look for them on Petfinder and our Facebook page.