Family and friends work to create endowed scholarship in veterinarian's name

Thibodaux, La.

-- The untimely death of a young veterinarian has inspired others to create a scholarship in his name at his alma mater, the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine.

K.C. Toups, 28, of Thibodaux, La., was a 2009 LSU graduate and had just begun his career as a veterinarian when he was killed in a car crash Jan. 4. He was transporting animals from one Lafourche Animal Hospital site to another when he was rear-ended by another driver and pushed into the path of an oncoming garbage truck, according to reports about his accident.

In memory of Toups, the Thibodaux-based rescue group Hope for Animals, Lafourche Animal Hospital and Toups’ family and friends have organized the Kause for Critters 5K Run and Dog Walk for April 3 at Thibodaux’s Peltier Park. Country singer Toby Keith donated items for a silent auction that also will run throughout the day April 3.

Proceeds from the event and auction will be used to create an endowed scholarship at LSU’s School of Veterinary Medicine in Toups’ name. Gretchen Morgan, director of annual giving and alumni affairs, says the scholarship is not officially set up yet, but anyone interested in donating in Toups’ name can contact her at (225)578-9565 or

gmorgan@lsu.edu

. More information about the race and scholarship also is available from the Lafourche Animal Hospital at (985)447-6100 or Hope for Animals at

hopeforanimals.com

.