The on-campus pet hospital at Western University of Health Sciences has completed its transition from a Banfield facility to a university-operated clinic. The renamed WesternU Pet Health Center remains a community hospital, “only with direct WesternU ownership and oversight,” said chief of staff David Clark, DVM, Dipl. ABVP. The Banfield Pet Hospital chain ran the Banfield Veterinary Clinical Center under a 10-year agreement, employing its own staff as well as clinical faculty members from the College of Veterinary Medicine. All the onsite veterinarians are now Western faculty. Portland, Ore.-based Banfield will maintain ties to Western by hosting third- and fourth-year veterinary students at Southern California hospitals under the university’s distributive education model. Students also will spend time at the on-campus clinic. “The Pet Health Center is included as part of clinical skills courses for first- and second-year CVM students, is home to the two-week medicine rotation for third years, and is a general practice location for fourth-year students,” Dr. Clark said. The Pomona, Calif., clinic is open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. A grand opening celebration is planned this summer.
