Just wanted to clarify something, because unfortunately what's in the Guelph Mercury article about OVC <http://www.guelphmercury.com/news/local/article/736719--ovc-to-close-avian-exotic-animal-clinic> is a bit misleading. I'm the Sinzig he was talking about, but the reporter didn't get the "my ferrets will be ok" thing from me - I told him quite the opposite in fact. Yes, the first thing everyone in the OVC administration says is "we'll still see ferrets". Unfortunately their Primary Healthcare Centre isn't the same thing at all as seeing the avian/exotics specialists at the teaching hospital. The PHC will handle simple things like vaccinations, general wellness exams, etc. - the kind of things that it's actually pretty easy to find a vet for. What they won't handle is exactly what we've always been referred to OVC for in the past, i.e. lymphoma, adrenal, insulinoma, etc. A couple of years ago my Monkey had a massive pleural effusion in his chest, really ugly, they removed so much gunk out of his chest they didn't understand how he was still alive (his only symptom, btw, had been that he lay down a bit too often while playing - typical ferret!). He was in ICU for 10 days. The vets at OVC came up with new techniques for treating him and managed to save him, thanks to them he's still going strong today! On top of that, they've since told us that those techniques have been used elsewhere to save at least one other ferret so far. Before this, apparently, a case like Monkey's was considered a lost cause. A paper is currently being written on Monkey's case by one of the vets who was involved. If I hadn't had OVC, if I'd only had my regular clinic, Monkey would be dead today. So, yes, OVC will still give vaccinations and general healthcare to ferrets. But that's not what made them special, and that's not what we're upset about losing. Incidentally, we found this earlier article on a change in OVC's hiring practices, which could explain why they're having trouble attracting another vet: <http://www.guelphmercury.com/news/local/article/672276--veterinary-college-under-investigation-after-faculty-complaints> As to the budget cutbacks, they could increase their fees substantially and still be more affordable than many other vet clinics. There's no shortage of demand, that's for sure, when you see how far the people in the waiting room have driven to get there. Selina and I have written letters to the office of the Dean asking them to reconsider: http://www.ovc.uoguelph.ca/dean/staff/ It really is very sad. [Posted in FML 7447]