Late donor leaves $1.5 million to establish wildlife fund at Tufts' veterinary school

North Grafton, Mass.

-- A World War II veteran and career newspaper advertising man established a fund to help care for wild animals at Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. The Anne and Edward Lanciani Endowed Fund for Wildlife Medicine will provide the school with at least $1.5 million to support the school's standalone Wildlife Clinic, which treats nearly 2,000 wild animals each year.

In 1998, Lanciani notified Tufts University officials of his plan to include the school in his will. In fact, he previously donated $25,000 to an endowed scholarship fund at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine.

Lee Lenick, executor of Lanciani's will, presented the school with the first distribution from the estate on Tuesday.