University of Florida on track to build new small animal hospital

GAINESVILLE, FL - 11/15/06 - A $1-million installment of a multimillion-dollar estate gift from Robin Weeks, a South Florida cattle ranch owner, to the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine will help ensure the construction of the Veterinary Education and Clinical Research Center, which includes a new small animal hospital.

College administrators said the gift puts the UF veterinary college just over its $4-million private fundraising goal. The college's financial commitment is expected to be matched and supplemented with additional state dollars to complete the project, which is estimated to cost about $50 million.

“Our hope is that groundbreaking for our new hospital will take place in 2008 and that the facility will be completed by 2010,” says Dr. Jim Thompson, associate dean for students and instruction, who was interim dean at the time the first gift installment was received.

“The college and hospital faculty, staff and students know how fortunate they are to receive these gifts and to have the opportunity to continue to expand the health care of animals,” Thompson added.

Warren Wiltshire, a UF alumnus and business partner of the personal representative of the estate of Robin Weeks, presented the $1-million check to UF President Bernie Machen and college administrators.