Pet Event of the Season Celebrates Human-Animal Bond
URBANA - Anyone who loves pets and is intrigued about state-of-the-art veterinary care will want to attend Oskee Bow Wow 2007, the second annual fund-raiser for the CARE Pet Loss Helpline at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. The event of the season for animal lovers takes place on Friday, September 21, from 6 to 8 p.m.
More than 100 guests attended the first Oskee Bow Wow event last year, which was held at the University of Illinois President's house. University "first dog" Webster White, a friendly white Coton de Tulear, greeted guests and later received an honorary "Dog of Veterinary Medicine" degree from the College.
Webster will again serve as host this year at a new venue, the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, a referral center where experts from surgeons and oncologists to dermatologists and dentists care for more than 16,000 animals every year.
The evening will be a celebration of the human-animal bond. Guests will get a behind-the-scenes look at the area's premier veterinary hospital facilities. They can also see the resident birds of prey from the College's Wildlife Medical Clinic, meet hospital specialists, and hear about a few high-profile patients.
Live music by Desafinado and gourmet hors d'oeuvres and wine donated by Jim Gould, English Hedgerow, Pasha Mediterranean, Picadilly, and Sweet Indulgence will add to the festivities.
Those who register for the event with friends can form a "pack" and receive special recognition and prizes.
Oskee Bow Wow takes place from 6 to 8 p.m. at University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital, 1008 West Hazelwood, Urbana. For the safety of the hospital's patients, only human guests may attend Oskee Bow Wow.
Registration costs $50 per person. Register online or call the College of Veterinary Medicine at 217/333-2761.
ABOUT THE CARE HELPLINE
Now in its tenth year, the CARE Pet Loss Helpline is an outreach program of the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. Through the Helpline, compassionate veterinary students have helped hundreds of grieving pet lovers nationwide cope with the death of their cherished companion animal.