<p>UF's College of Veterinary Medicine received a $1 million gift that will ensure the construction of new facilities. </p>
<p>The donation came from the estate of Robin Weeks and completes the $4 million in private funds needed to build a new small-animal hospital and research center. </p>
<p>Weeks, who owned a cattle ranch, had been grateful to Dr. Mike McNulty, an alumnus of the college, for the veterinary care he'd given her herds of cattle over the years, said Sarah Carey, public relations director for the college. </p>
<p>The gift couldn't have come soon enough. </p>
<p>"We've outgrown our britches," said Jim Thompson, associate dean for students and instruction. </p>
<p>The college has more patients than its facilities can accommodate, Thompson said. There aren't enough meeting or exam rooms, and physical exams are being conducted outside on the grass. </p>
<p>"Things are pretty tight right now," said David Gosche, a student in the college. "A lot of what was storage space has been made into makeshift usable space, so the halls are not only filled with people but with carts and equipment, too." </p>
<p>For seven years, the school has been planning to build a new research center and a new small-animal hospital. The total estimated cost is $49.4 million, Thompson said. </p>
<p>The college's administrators hope to secure legislative funds this spring, begin the engineering and architectural phase in July and complete work by July 2010. </p>
<p>Their plan will consist of renovating the existing small-animal hospital, constructing a three-story building and joining the two together, said Zoe Seale, senior director of development for the college. </p>
<p>The new hospital will include a state-of-the-art cancer treatment center that will offer treatments they can't now, like radiation therapy, Seale said. The new facilities will allow the college to better compete with other facilities in the state, she said. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.alligator.org/pt2/061120vet.php%5B/url%5D">http://www.alligator.org/pt2/061120vet.php</a></p>