Tufts Open House is Saturday

The cows, sheep, alpacas, dogs, horses and other animals of New England’s only veterinary school are awaiting an expected crowd of thousands at the ’s annual Open House, planned this year from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24.

Visitors will be able to tour the campus’ three veterinary teaching hospitals, the Foster Hospital for Small Animals, Hospital for Large Animals, and Tufts Wildlife Clinic, watch demonstrations of agility and personal protection dogs and take hay rides through the school’s nearly 600-acre campus. 

Aspiring veterinary students are given the opportunity to gain insider tips from existing students about the application process and life as a veterinary student. Presentations include a question-and-answer session with admissions representatives about the ins and outs of applying to and attending veterinary school.

The school’s working farm will be available for self-guided tours, and visitors can meet the resident sheep, goats, pigs, horses and cattle, including four “Oreo cow” Belted Galloways, a 2010 donation to the school’s teaching herd.

The event is free and open to the public. However, for the purposes of infection control and pet safety, pets must be left at home.

Exhibits at Open House will range from agility and personal protection dogs to rescue and shelter groups from throughout the state, therapy ponies, llamas and alpacas and a birds of prey demonstration by Wingmasters. Veterinary students will also have displays showcasing their various on-campus organizations and will offer face painting and other activities for children and adults.

Kids of all ages are welcome to bring their beloved but bedraggled stuffed animals to be stitched or bandaged at the Teddy Bear Clinic, run by the hospital’s veterinary technicians.

Children are also welcome to participate in the “You Be the Vet” exercises, in which they will don surgical gowns, participate in mock surgeries, and learn the importance of spay and neuter procedures at the Luke and Lily Lerner Spay/Neuter Clinic. 

For more information, call 508-839-5395 or visit the Open House link on Tufts’ web site, vet.tufts.edu/open_house.