University of Calgary veterinary medicine students have put together the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (UCVM-CUPS) Fund to help marginalized pets get the care they need. 

The UCVM-CUPS fund has raised more than $20,000 to help with the costs of services such as dental surgeries, spays and neuters for animals, for owners struggling with the costs of long-term pet care.  

The fund was initially created by UCalgary veterinary medicine students, who raised money annually to go towards the CUPS clinic after being decided by a committee of UCVM staff and students. The CUPS clinic is a low-cost pet clinic that started as a service-learning project for students.  

“A lot of these folks that we see at the CUPS clinic have social issues other and part of that is housing, and part of it is income, and part of it is medical problems, and it’s, it’s amazing to hear from them the significant role that their pets play in their lives and their wellbeing,” said Jack Wilson, a session instructor in the department of veterinary medicine at the University of Calgary and one of the creators of the UCVM-CUPS Pet Health Clinic.

Wilson teaches veterinary medicine students communication skills in handling both animals and their owners.

“So, I think by trying to keep these pets healthy, it keeps their owners healthy,” said Wilson. 

The fund has provided all patients with coverage for medical and dental surgeries.

“With the UCVM-CUPS Fund, we’ve been able to cover all the patients that need spays and neuters,” said Serge Chalhoub, UCalgary veterinary medicine professor. Chalhoub is one of the co-creators of the UCVM-CUPS Pet Health Clinic.  

Both well-being and financial support for pet owners

This student-led initiative has not only been able to help with medical bills but has also been a support system for owners through hard times.

“I feel like a really important part of veterinary medicine is also helping the owners,” said Morgan MacLean, a UCalgary student studying veterinary medicine. MacLean is also one of the students on the CUPS fund committee. 

“I think that’s overlooked a lot of times, but a lot of times we can act as a friend or counsellor or just a support system for those clients,” she said.  

The UCVM-CUPS clinic has been able to help Calgarians as well as play a vital role in education for students. It’s allowed them to learn more about the animals, but also the owners.

“I’m a professor at the vet school, and when we created this initiative, it was really a way to get the students to get engaged in community-based learning initiatives and find ways for them to learn in the real world,” said Chalhoub.  

“They truly saw that this is a community learning opportunity, and they want to give back to the community. My heart melts every time I think about what they’ve done here.”

So far, the fund has already been able to help 15 pets and their owners with medical costs.

“I find it very life changing for them because we’re able to provide things that would never have been able to happen otherwise,” said MacLean.