Purina PetCare, veterinary products division of Nestlé, on Monday announced a donation of $4.5 million, or about Rs 38 crore, to three top veterinary schools in the USA on the occasion of International Day of Veterinary Medicine. The aim of the donations is to drive innovation and excellence in pet health and veterinary education over the next five years and beyond, the company said in a press release.
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According to the release, the collaborations are meant to support research in emerging areas of pet health, including healthy ageing and mobility in dogs and gastrointestinal issues in cats and dogs, and to support scientific exploration and advancements from students and faculty.
“Veterinarians play such a pivotal role in caring for our pets,” said Purina Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Kurt R. Venator. “These three new programmes build on Purina’s decades-long history of supporting veterinary schools and students and promise to offer exciting scientific and nutritional advances to help our pets live long, healthy lives.” The following are the three beneficiaries and programmes.
- Cornell University’s School of Veterinary Medicine received a $1.5 million donation to create the Purina Cornell Canine Healthy Aging and Mobility Program, or CHAMP. Over the next five years, CHAMP will focus on advancing science and innovation in the areas of nutrition, healthy ageing, rehabilitation and mobility in dogs, the company said in its release.
- The University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine received $1.5 million to create the Purina Distinguished Program in Gastrointestinal Health and Wellness. Gastrointestinal conditions are among the most common health issues in pets. This new five-year programme will further knowledge in this field and advance canine and feline gastrointestinal health solutions.
- Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences received a $1.5 million donation to support the next generation of veterinary scientists and faculty members through the creation of the Purina Young Investigators Award Program in the Center for Companion Animal Studies. This endowment will fund up to 12 annual grants in perpetuity to students and their faculty mentors to investigate and share scientific advancements.
Over the past five years, Purina has contributed more than $150 million to organizations that bring, and keep, people and pets together, as well as those that help communities and the environment thrive.
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“These (latest) efforts aim to uncover new insights that will impact future innovations and change the lives of pets and the people who love them—and the veterinarians who care for them,” said Dr Venator. To know more about Purina’s research and academic partnerships, click here.
SOURCE: PR Newswire
