As a result of the continued support of alpaca breeders in and around UC Davis the vet school in Northern California is once again interested in camelids.

As testimony to this, yesterday Bruce Nelson took 9 of his alpaca boys to UC Davis, where they joined 9 boys which Jan and Dale Davis donated for the day. UC Davis had contracted with Marty McGee Bennett to help teach interested Vet students how to handle alpacas when they came to UC Davis for treatment. 36 veterinary students attended the clinic which lasted all day, and the students stayed until the very end. Every student was able to get in the pens with several animals, and practice the techniques which Marty was teaching.

Bruce was impressed with this on two levels. First that UC Davis, sought out Marty and was willing to pay for her services. Secondly he learned in conversations with the students, that they were there of their own accord. This was not a course requirement, and they were not given any credits for attending. This was a Saturday, and all of them could just as easily been somewhere else instead of staying on campus and attending the alpaca handling clinic. In all 36 Vet Undergrads and Vet Techs were there, because they wanted to know more about alpacas.

One of the Alpaca Communities greatest needs is vets who are passionate about Camelids. Everything we can do to encourage students to include alpacas in their practice will benefit the whole alpaca community. Because although these students are training at UC Davis California many will be in veterinary practice outside of California once they graduate.