The Ventura County Community Foundation (VCCF) awarded $192,556 to the Ventura College Foundation to help support the Ventura College's Veterinary Technology Program. The two-year vet program is a partnership between the Ohana Pet Hospital and the college that began in 2021 and takes place adjacent to Ventura College's East Campus in Santa Paula.

The VCCF conducted an Animal Welfare Needs Assessment for Ventura County. This assessment showed, among other things, the need for more veterinarian professionals including qualified vet technicians in Ventura County.

“I am so proud that VCCF is able to provide these critical funds to support Ventura College’s vet tech program," says VCCF Board of Directors Chair Sean Leonard. "These funds will not only support our community’s need for more veterinary services but will support the career paths of so many, allowing them to follow their dreams of a profession that makes a difference in our community.”

Over $125,000 of the grant will go towards the purchase of veterinary technical equipment for the teaching lab. Another $66,000 will help pay for two part-time instructional assistants for an academic year.

New equipment includes a digital x-ray machine, a surgery table, surgery lights, and an anesthesia machine--all delivered in time for the fall semester.

“We are so incredibly grateful and excited for the grant award," says Jill Muraoka Lim, DVM lead faculty member and co-founder of Ohana Pet Hospital. "It will help our fledging program grow and prosper--developing a local workforce passionate about providing quality health care to all animals in our community.”

The first cohort of students in the program will graduate this fall. In addition to their training at the lab and Ohana Pet Hospital, students take field trips to other vet offices around the county, especially those that treat large animals. Students work directly with cats, dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, horses, goats, and sheep.

Approximately 28 students are accepted into the program each year. "The added instructional assistants will reduce the staff-student ratio necessary to help meet American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accreditation requirements," says Felicia Dueñas, Ventura College Career Education Dean.

Graduating students receive an Associate in Science in Veterinary Technology degree. The degree prepares students for careers within the veterinary and animal healthcare industry as veterinary technicians and qualifies them to sit for both national and state board exams to become a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT).

For more about the program, go to https://www.venturacollege.edu/departments/academic/veterinary-technician.