Cohn Offers Care for Life

Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Opened in 1998, the Oklahoma State University’s Cohn Pet Care Facility offers pet owners a permanent home for their animals when they are no longer able to care for them. An upfront endowment secures the funds necessary to provide shelter, food and veterinary medical treatment for the life of their pet.

The facility is on eight acres north of the OSU Veterinary Medical Hospital.

The 6,600-square-foot building is equipped with some special features:

• An indoor cat room, specifically designed to meet the exercise needs of cats, is located where the sun shines into the room most of the day.
• An area designated for veterinary medical examinations, treatment and grooming.
• Outdoor runs and separate dog kennels.
• A comfortable visiting area where the animals can enjoy being with people.

“My endowment, which ensures that my pets will receive excellent care and companionship for the remainder of their lives, has given me utmost peace of mind. After visiting the shelter, I was inspired to contribute additional funds to support the facility’s program, which provides temporary housing for animals that have been removed from at-risk situations,” says Jean Williams-Gent, a client of the Cohn Pet Care Facility.

As a community service, the Cohn Facility provides temporary housing for pets from domestic violence cases at no cost to these pet owners. Research shows that up to 48 percent of battered women delayed the decision to leave unsafe situations out of fear for the welfare of pets or livestock. Seventy-one percent of battered women with pets affirmed that batterers had threatened, hurt or killed their animal.

The Cohn Pet Care Facility is also equipped to serve as a boarding facility for pets as space allows. The facility is open during the week with Saturday and Sunday drop-off hours between 9 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. and pick-up between 3 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. For more details on boarding your pets, call 405-744-3647.

To contribute to the Cohn Pet Care Facility or learn more about securing your own pet’s place, contact Chris Sitz, senior director of development with the OSU Foundation, at 405-385-5170 or csitz@osugiving.com.