Shelter dog “Cornbread” investigates the cat house under construction at the shelter, knowing he won’t be allowed there when it is completed. By MILDRED S. SISSON

Sometimes an old lady writer has an unexpected, and different kind of experience, that of accompanying shelter dogs to the hospital where they will be spayed or neutered in most humane — definitely humane — way. They are treated as if they are the most special breed in the world.

Upon arrival that day those eight dogs were greeted by a bunch of pretty — and handsome — young and caring veterinary medical students at the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Georgia.

Robert Miller, laboratory supervisor at the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Georgia, is the one with which W-W Humane Animal Shelter works most closely. The Washington-Wilkes Humane Animal Shelter has agreed to three-year period when the adoptability of healthy animals will be increased by either spaying or neutering. This is done by third-year veterinary students and faculty members during the students’ small animal and large animal basic surgical techniques course. This is the fourth year the shelter has been fortunate to participate in this.

Who could wish for better care than what Bo is getting from this pretty soon-to-be doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM). This latest agreement was instituted for a three-year period starting the fall semester of 2005-2006 and continuing through 2008-2009 academic years. If there are any changes needed to the agreement within the period, all will be notified.

Beginning Friday, September 23, during the first week (Friday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,) eight dogs were carried each day to the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Georgia. The eight carried the first day were left overnight and picked up the second day when eight more were carried. That continued throughout that week — 32 more adoptable dogs during “K9 Castration Week.”

All bundled up and recovering nicely. “Feline Spay Week” followed, resulting in 32 more adoptable cats. And, adoptable animals is what the shelter strives for. That means only the very aggressive and/or sick animals are euthanized.

The last four days made up “K-9 Spay week.” Thirty-two dogs went through that procedure.

These animals are carried from the local shelter to the College of Veterinary Medicine, and back, by the shelter director and a much-appreciated special volunteer who “goes above and beyond” in doing this, if the director is not able to do so. That volunteer had already picked up and loaded cats into her vehicle and was waiting to help unload dogs when we arrived.

Three-year veterinary students at the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Georgia compare notes and take care of W-W Humane Animal Shelter dogs after surgery. Some of those big dogs did not care for a leash and had to be picked up and carried some distance to where cages and fresh water awaited them in a hospital emergency room like setting.

“He’s all right. He’s just sleeping it off,” this future veterinarian says as she observes. As forms were being filled out — all the paper work taken care of, the young students came in and walked back and forth in front of the cages before stopping to talk to and pet the dogs. This sent tails to wagging happily as youthful, subdued, laughter filled the area.

Dr. Clarence Rawlings, course instructor for small animal portion of their studies, is the professor who oversees the labs.

Head of the Department of Small Animal Medicine is Branson Ritchie. Director of Animal Resources is Cristopher King. Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine is Sheila Allen.

“He is resting SO peacefully.” Robert Miller of Danielsville is laboratory supervisor and is the one the local shelter works most closely with. He has held that position for three years and supervises 86 to 96 students per year.

He tells us, “We have, roughly, six to eight facilities from which we get animals. We are mainly using the Washington-Wilkes Shelter because we can count on getting the number of dogs we need when we need them for our two labs — cat and dog spay and dog neuter. They are providing non-owner dogs. We have 95 total students. They usually work in groups of three. “

He went on to say they keep adoption forms there because they usually have two or three students who adopt a dog or a cat. They fall in love with the animal while caring for it and just want to keep caring for it. When good homes are found for W-W shelter animals no one is happier that those working at the shelter.

This year three cats and three dogs were adopted by the students. And usually there are follow-up adoptions, from students who cannot get the pets out of their minds. There is no charge for these students.

Rob has been in the veterinary field as technician for 17 or 18 years. He is the laboratory manager and is in charge of having all equipment for the labs in place. Deanne King is also a registered veterinarian technician and they work together in the labs with the students. The instructors do the teaching.

The stated purpose for this program is: “to increase the cooperation between Washington-Wilkes Humane Animal Shelter and The University of Georgia by combining the resources and student learning of the University with the need to provide more adoptable animals and decrease the numbers of stray animals; to increase the adoptability of abandoned and owner surrendered animals that would otherwise be euthanized or adopted as intact animals. By using W-W Humane Animal Shelter this will decrease the number of animals purchased and used for teaching by the College of Veterinary Medicine.”

It is the local shelter’s responsibility to provide healthy animals for spaying and castration according to guidelines and schedule provided by the Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery. All animals remain property of the local shelter after being either surrendered by their owners or having been found abandoned and housed for at least five days without the owner claiming the animal.

Animals accepted by the vet school must be normal on a physical examination, be older than four months, and have a personality suitable for adoption into a family with small children.

During five days of quarantine at W-W Humane Animal Shelter, before being carried to the vet school, the animals are vaccinated, bathed, treated for intestinal worms and treated for external parasites.

Animals must be delivered on the scheduled days. Since the number of animals is critical if each student group is to perform a spay/castration procedure, at least two or three more animals than needed should be available in case some of the initial animals become ill and need to be replaced.

Once the animals have been cared for by the veterinary students and have been returned to the shelter, they have to be housed and observed for one week after surgery in order to enhance adoption as healthy animals.

Director of the local shelter tells us that during the years they have been working with the College of Veterinary Medicine, all of the animals have done well after surgery. And the shelter benefits in other ways since there is no charge by the college for the surgeries.

The responsibilities of the College of Veterinary Medicine are: “To provide facilities, animal care, and institutional approval of animal use proposal for all animals used in this program. All animals will be used according to this memorandum and none will be used for any purpose other than this course.”

I enjoyed meeting and talking with the lab supervisor. His wife, Donna Miller, is a technologist who works at Athens Regional Medical Center in the Breast Health Center’s radiology department. They have two children — Grant, 5, and Peyton, who is a little over a year old.

And, of course they have pets — two dogs and two cats. Bo is an Australian Shepherd mix, and Maverick is a Corgi mix. The cats are Smut and MunChen.

Back home at the shelter, Cornbread, who is keeping watch over the building of the new cat facility, had a great time with shelter folks and friends at the Rayle Ramble Saturday. I think everyone did . . . more about that next week.

It’s great to have new and interesting little experiences, especially if pets are involved. It was good to see how well they were received by the vet students. These shelter animals are truly pampered and spoiled. I hope all find good homes . . . they’ll make great pets.