The Banfield name is coming off the teaching hospital at Western University of Health Sciences in Ponoma, Calif. A 10-year partnership between the Banfield Pet Hospital chain and Western’s College of Veterinary Medicine is scheduled to end Nov. 30, when the university will assume what it called “full autonomy” over the facility. The hospital name will change from the Banfield Veterinary Clinical Center to the WesternU Pet Wellness Center. “The relationship between WesternU and Banfield has been mutually beneficial, and we want to thank all of those who have supported us over the past 10 years,” said the college’s dean, Philip Nelson, DVM, Ph.D. “We look forward to the exciting opportunities that present themselves in establishing our own practice philosophy, and we will do everything we can to make sure that this transition does not negatively affect customer service or the health of our patients.” Banfield and Western will maintain a relationship, which includes student rotations, said the Portland, Ore., company’s chief medical officer, Jeffrey Klausner, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM. “Although there will no longer be a formal agreement in place, Banfield and Western are still committed partners in education,” Dr. Klausner said. “Banfield will continue its support of student education with a robust student job program, which will continue to give Western students the opportunity to work in local Banfield hospitals and benefit from first-hand community practice experience.” The hospital will remain open during the transition. Western advised pet owners to continue patronizing the university hospital or transfer care to another Banfield hospital, such as clinics in nearby Fontana, Fullerton, Upland and Yorba Linda. The Western veterinary college was established in 1998 and earned full accreditation from the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Council on Education in 2010.
