Texas A&M Veterinary Oncology Service Receives Petco Love Grant To Financially Assist Pet Owners

May 15, 2024

The Small Animal Teaching Hospital’s (SATH) Oncology Service at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) has received a two-year, $150,000 grant as part of a renewed investment from national nonprofit Petco Love to support lifesaving work for pets seeking cancer treatment in the Brazos Valley.

The Petco Love grant is the only industry grant funding that the SATH oncology team receives to support patient care. The grant was first awarded to VMBS in 2019 to assist pet owners facing extensive costs in treating their animal’s cancer.

Since then, 211 pet owners have utilized these funds to defray the cost of innovative therapies that a pet may benefit from. This allows owners and the oncology team to focus on doing everything possible to BTHO cancer.

“Funding from PetCo Love has significantly enhanced our ability to provide essential resources and care for animals in need. This financial support has been instrumental in improving the lives of countless pets and strengthening our commitment to helping pets with cancer,” said Dr. Emma Warry, a clinical associate professor in the VMBS’ Small Animal Clinical Sciences department.

The VMBS established its leading Oncology Service in the 1970s, employing the only veterinary oncologist in Texas at that time and becoming one of the first colleges to offer radiation therapy for animals after recognizing its value in providing an alternative to surgery. Since then, the service has expanded to offer the most advanced chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgical treatments, treating 1,845 pets last year.

Today, Texas A&M’s Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, which houses both the SATH and the Large Animal Teaching Hospital, offers an integrated oncology service with medical and radiation oncology, with a board-certified oncologist on staff. The team works closely with anesthesia and critical care specialists to create an individualized treatment plan for all patients.

Discoveries made by the VMBS’ veterinary oncologists have not only saved the lives of beloved pets but also provided hope for advancements in human cancer treatment.

Two veterinarians examining a dog at a vet clinic.

“There is nothing more rewarding than to be able to tell a pet parent that we have a way to assist them with their loved one’s cancer treatment. This is exceptionally true when treatment wouldn’t have been pursued without financial assistance,” said Jaci Christensen, licensed veterinary technician and oncology technician supervisor at the SATH. “We are so thankful for Petco Love’s continued support.”

Since its founding in 1999, Petco Love has empowered animal welfare organizations by investing nearly $410 million in adoption and other lifesaving efforts, including helping to find loving homes for nearly 7 million pets in partnership with Petco and organizations nationwide.

“Our investment in Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences is part of more than $12M in investments recently announced by Petco Love to power local organizations across the country as part of our commitment to create a future in which no pet is unnecessarily euthanized,” said Susanne Kogut, president of Petco Love. “Our local investments are only part of our strategy to empower animal lovers to drive lifesaving change right alongside us. We launched Petco Love Lost, a free national lost and found database that uses photo-matching technology to simplify the search for lost pets.”

For more information about the VMTH’s Oncology Service, visit vethospital.tamu.edu/small-animal/oncology, and learn more about Petco Love at petcolove.org.

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For more information about the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, please visit our website at vetmed.tamu.edu or join us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Contact Information: Jennifer Gauntt, Director of VMBS Communications, Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, jgauntt@cvm.tamu.edu, 979-862-4216

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