Gary R. Carlson, MD, College of Veterinary Medicine

Dr. Haley Leeper, veterinary teaching hospital medical director, speaks during a ceremony celebrating 20 years of small animal care at the hospital. Kelly Warner, hospital director of operations, looks on.

August 27, 2025
Words and photo by Jens Odegaard

In 2005 a Labrador retriever named Della became the first patient of the Small Animal Clinic at the Oregon State University Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine’s Lois Bates Acheson Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Twenty years later, it has served nearly 150,000 animals from more than 11 species, is home to 19 board-certified small animal veterinary specialists in 10 different services and has trained 1,064 OSU veterinary graduates and 153 residents and interns (post-DVM specialists).  

The hospital and college opened in 1979. It is the only veterinary teaching hospital in Oregon and one of only three on the West Coast: Washington State University and UC Davis housing the other two. 

For the first 26 years, it was a large animal hospital only. Through a partnership with Washington State University, veterinary students enrolled at Oregon State University received their small animal hands-on clinical training at WSU’s veterinary teaching hospital. This required students to pack up and move to Pullman, Washington – 431 miles by car from Corvallis, Oregon – after their first year of vet school. They stayed in Pullman for a year and a half before returning to OSU to complete the final year and a half of vet school.   

With the opening of the Small Animal Clinic at OSU’s teaching hospital, students no longer had to juggle moves and new learning environments during vet school. It also enabled small animals to receive world class veterinary care in the region. 

“While those collaborative efforts were beneficial, it became clear that both our students and the companion animals in the region would be better served by a more accessible, locally based solution,” said Hospital Medical Director Dr. Haley Leeper at an event celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Small Animal Clinic. “And so, 20 years ago, the Small Animal Clinic opened its doors, not only to train the next generation of veterinarians right here in Oregon, but to provide world-class veterinary specialty care to pets and their families across the Willamette Valley and beyond.” 

Primarily a specialty referral hospital, it offers tertiary veterinary care for highly complex cases under the direction of board-certified veterinary specialists. With each case, these specialists and their teams of certified veterinary technicians train veterinary students and post-DVM interns and residents seeking to become board-certified specialists. 

“By expanding access to specialty care, we've supported our referring veterinarians and enhanced outcomes for thousands of pets – from routine cases to the most complex. We’ve also had the privilege of partnering with incredible organizations like the Oregon Coast Aquarium, Winston Wildlife Safari, Oregon Zoo, and Oregon Humane Society as well as countless rescue groups,” Leeper said. “Together, we’ve treated a remarkable variety of species and supported some of the most vulnerable animals in our region. These collaborations reflect not just our clinical reach, but our shared passion for animal well-being in all its forms.”

In 2019, a donor-supported 22,000-square-foot expansion of the Small Animal Clinic added more exam rooms, patient treatment areas and student instructional space. “The commitment of donors to the VTH has allowed us to expand access to care, improve hands-on teaching, and offer support to families and animals in need through financial assistant funds,” Leeper said. “We are truly grateful for their vision and partnership.”

As the clinic has grown, it’s enabled the college to enroll more students, helping advance the core mission of educating the next generation of veterinarians. 

In 2005, the incoming class of students was 48. This fall, 96 students will enter the college. “When asked why I choose to work at the Lois Bates Acheson Veterinary Teaching Hospital, I point to the remarkable scope and scale of activity that takes place within its walls each day – including student and house officer education, the application of state-of-the-art diagnostics and therapeutics, and the pursuit of both clinical and bench-top research,” Leeper said. “Equally important are the vital skills in teamwork, communication and empathy that are continuously on display. I am truly inspired by the dedication and excellence demonstrated by our students, staff, house officers and faculty each and every day … Thank you all for being part of this journey. Let’s take a moment to celebrate 20 incredible years – and to many more to come.”