A graduation ceremony at Iowa State University took an unexpected turn on Saturday when one of the college’s own patients walked across the stage.
Honey, a dog hit by a car in Des Moines on Christmas Eve, crossed the stage during the College of Veterinary Medicine’s commencement ceremony, drawing audible gasps and cheers from the crowd.
For many new graduates, college staff and employees of the Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center, the moment capped months of care that began in December.
Honey’s owner, a homeless man in Des Moines, could not afford her care but did not want her euthanized. A friend drove Honey to Iowa State, where the owner surrendered her so she could get treatment.
“She was hit by a car in Des Moines on Christmas Eve,” said Laura Bradner, who now fosters Honey. “She had fractures all over her skull. She had fractures in her sinus.”
The team at the Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center began stabilising Honey and treating her injuries right away.
Dan Grooms, the Dr Stephen G Juelsgaard Dean of Veterinary Medicine at Iowa State, said the work involved far more than repairing broken bones.
“Fixing fractures, fixing things that they could fix , the most important thing was also trying to understand and manage the brain trauma that had occurred as well,” Grooms said.
Honey received rehabilitation services five days a week at the medical center.
Critter Crusaders of Cedar Rapids, a nonprofit, has raised $27,000 toward her treatment so far.
“We provide the funds, and we help guide the care,” said Jan Erceg, founder and medical director of Critter Crusaders. “We work directly with the doctors on treatment plans.”
Students who are now graduates treated Honey throughout their final year of school, making her recovery personal for the class.
“I think it just gives them a kind of peek into what they can do and the impact that they can have in taking care of animals,” Grooms said.
Bradner said Honey’s personality has matched her recovery.
“She has the sweetest disposition. You can literally expect her to do anything, take her anywhere, and she just goes with the flow,” Bradner said. “You can just see it in her eyes that she just loves life.”
Bradner said Honey is likely in the final weeks of her rehabilitation.
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