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The 2001 Sue Busch Memorial Award Winners
John L. Pitts, DVM
John L. Pitts, DVM
The Board of Trustees of the Pet Care Trust is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2001 Sue Busch Award. There were numerous qualified applicants for this year's award, but two graduating veterinary medical students stood out in the crowd. The awards were presented to Laurinda Morris of Ohio State University and Mark Freeman of Auburn University. Each of these graduates received a $750.00 check from the Pet Care Trust at their Universities awards ceremony and banquet prior to graduation.
The Sue Busch Award winners are selected on the basis of their personal contributions to animals and support of the human-animal bond in their community. This service and activity goes well beyond their veterinary medical education or academic standing. The award honors those students who make the time to help animals, support children through animal interaction and support the companion animal community by their good works.
Laurinda Morris was a dental hygienist prior to being accepted to Veterinary School. She has been a 4-H horse adult-leader for kids and became a dog trainer of shelter dogs to enhance their chance for adoption. In 1994, Ms. Morris created "Friends for Life" companion animal program to place dog and cat adoptions for seniors and handicapped persons. She created a one woman/one dog traveling show performing at hospitals, schools and public settings, teaching messages of humane care for animals. During veterinary school, Laurinda was involved in puppy/dog obedience training, started the first animal behavior class, and organized an elementary school community outreach for special needs children, teaming 1 dog, 1 child and 1 veterinary student for training for events in the Special Olympics with animals.
Mark Freeman, was a first year veterinary student at Auburn University in 1984. Due to family tragedies he was forced to drop out of school and spent 12 years repaying debts.
During that time, Mark started a personally funded, certified animal shelter that has rehabilitated and adopted hundreds of animals. Mr. Freeman re-entered vet school in 1997, continued the animal shelter and added horse back riding lessons for children, using the shelter horses as the riding companions. At the time of graduation, Mark's shelter included 70 dogs, 30 horses, numerous cats, reptiles, birds and wildlife. Mr. Freeman plans to stay at the university to teach and maintain his animal shelter.
Public service is an important element in all our lives and serves to support community, and in these cases, supports companion animals and community. These two students, now Doctors of Veterinary Medicine, have displayed their commitment to animals and as Sue Busch Award winners, are examples for all of us to emulate.
John Pitts, Program Coordinator, Pet Care Trust, jlpitts@olympus.net
Laurinda Morris was a dental hygienist prior to being accepted to Veterinary School. She has been a 4-H horse adult-leader for kids and became a dog trainer of shelter dogs to enhance their chance for adoption. In 1994, Ms. Morris created "Friends for Life" companion animal program to place dog and cat adoptions for seniors and handicapped persons. She created a one woman/one dog traveling show performing at hospitals, schools and public settings, teaching messages of humane care for animals. During veterinary school, Laurinda was involved in puppy/dog obedience training, started the first animal behavior class, and organized an elementary school community outreach for special needs children, teaming 1 dog, 1 child and 1 veterinary student for training for events in the Special Olympics with animals.
Mark Freeman, was a first year veterinary student at Auburn University in 1984. Due to family tragedies he was forced to drop out of school and spent 12 years repaying debts.
During that time, Mark started a personally funded, certified animal shelter that has rehabilitated and adopted hundreds of animals. Mr. Freeman re-entered vet school in 1997, continued the animal shelter and added horse back riding lessons for children, using the shelter horses as the riding companions. At the time of graduation, Mark's shelter included 70 dogs, 30 horses, numerous cats, reptiles, birds and wildlife. Mr. Freeman plans to stay at the university to teach and maintain his animal shelter.
Public service is an important element in all our lives and serves to support community, and in these cases, supports companion animals and community. These two students, now Doctors of Veterinary Medicine, have displayed their commitment to animals and as Sue Busch Award winners, are examples for all of us to emulate.
John Pitts, Program Coordinator, Pet Care Trust, jlpitts@olympus.net
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