Stevenson Center Gives Pet Owners Peace of Mind

Ribbon cutting for the Stevenson building expansion
From left: Dr. O.J. “Bubba” Woytek; Mattie Stevenson, with Trixie; and Kim Muth, with Mackie; lead the way after the ribbon is cut to open the Stevenson building expansion in 2013.

Many of us consider our pets to be a part of the family, so it can be tough to imagine our pet’s life after we are no longer able to provide them care.

Whether pet owners are seriously ill, hospitalized for an extended period, entering a retirement home, or predecease their pet, the Stevenson Companion Animal Life-Care Center at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVM) can help.

The Stevenson Center is a state-of-the-art program designed to care for pets whose owners are no longer able to provide that care. The staff at the center work hard to ensure both large and small animals, including livestock, birds and other exotics, feel at home by providing for pets’ physical, medical, and emotional needs.

Established in 1993, the Stevenson Center largely was funded through the Luse Foundation and the late Mrs. Madlin Stevenson. An avid animal lover, Madlin said she chose to support the center because, “Animals are especially important to the elderly; this center is dedicated to them and their pets.”

When Madlin passed away in 2000, her niece, Mattie Stevenson, continued donating to the center and has enjoyed watching the “pet utopia” grow. After two expansions, the center is “very impressive,” Mattie said.

Animal residents of the center engage in plenty of playtime, napping, and cuddling with staff and A&M resident veterinary students. But of course, there are a lot of chores to be done to keep the center clean and the animals happy. Mattie noted that the staff and students are caring, dedicated, and professional; they work hard to keep animal residents comfortable.

“You can be confident that the pets you love will have the finest care possible for the rest of their lives,” Mattie said.

Additionally, animals enrolled at the Stevenson Center are in close proximity to the CVM and are guaranteed excellent veterinary care. In fact, before the animals even move into the center, they visit the animal hospital for evaluation and a complete physical. Veterinarians then determine the animal’s medical history and dietary needs and develop personalized health care programs for each pet.

Though we try to prepare for the future, life can be unexpected. That’s why the Stevenson Center welcomes pets with open arms when their owners can no longer care for them.

“Since none of us knows the future,” Mattie said, “we love knowing that should something happen to us while our pets are still alive, there will always be a wonderful place on the campus of Texas A&M University waiting to welcome them home.”

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If you or a loved one are interested in learning more about the Stevenson Center, visit https://vetmed.tamu.edu/stevenson-centerfor more information.

Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed on the web at vetmed.tamu.edu/pet-talk. Suggestions for future topics may be directed to editor@cvm.tamu.edu


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