By ANN ALLEN
Indiana Correspondent

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Everyone agreed the Dog Days of Summer sculptures were a doggone good idea when they hit the streets of the Greater Lafayette area this summer as 41 ways to highlight the 50th anniversary of Purdue University’s School of Veterinary Medicine and the 100th anniversary of the Art Museum of Greater Lafayette.

For one thing, the three-dimensional life-size fiberglass dogs were totally different from the hogs of 2003 and the frogs of 2005 – and they offered area artists unlimited ideas.

The idea of placing artfully decorated pooches throughout Lafayette and the Purdue campus came to Carol Willoughby, director of Advancement for the Purdue School of Veterinary Medicine, while she was looking at the school’s sculpture, “Continuum,” depicting a boy running with his dog.

”It occurred to me that we could turn this into an opportunity to showcase the school by participating in a community art exhibit,” Willoughby said. “I had worked on two such projects before and I knew the importance of soliciting a partner in the arts community to help. With the Art Museum celebrating its 100th anniversary, the timing was perfect.”

The exhibit’s launch coincided with Mosey Down Main Street, a free festival in downtown Lafayette that featured special merchandise and the opportunity to paint dog magnets or T-shirts.

From the beginning, community support was widespread. Veterinary students opted to permanently adopt one of the dogs they dubbed Oliver. The Art Museum took dibs on one whose official name was There is Honour in Being a Dog. Each raised $5,000 in sponsorship funds.

By summer’s end, the remaining dogs would be raffled or auctioned with half the funds raised earmarked for student scholarships and indigent pet care.

After that, the Dog Days of Summer literally went to the dogs. Vandals stole both of the adopted dogs. Eventually, repeated vandalism and thefts caused the other 39 to be moved indoors.
“It was as if those painted dogs took on lives of their own,” Willoughby said. “They received care and compassion not unlike that extended to real animals.”

When Oliver was taken from his 600-pound base, one of his legs was broken. Instantly, vet school faculty, staff and students started talking about how, if Oliver was recovered, they would take him to surgery and perform an authentic orthopedic procedure to treat his injury.

There was general rejoicing when, thanks to an observant citizen, Purdue police were able to recover Oliver. After a little pre-op by a local body shop, Oliver was wheeled into surgery where Dr. Amy Fauber, assisted by the vet school staff, fitted Oliver with an external fixator, just as they would have done for a real dog.
 “From that day forward, Oliver was as good as new,” said Willoughby. “His black and gold medical hardware enables all who see him to better understand how veterinary medical professionals care for animals.”

By Oct. 4, all the dogs had been rounded up, waiting for the raffle and auction.

The total project netted nearly $66,000, according to Willoughby. Half will go to the School of Veterinary Science with the other half going to support ongoing operations of the Art Museum.

She said student support will be added to a $500,000 endowment created in honor of the school’s 50th anniversary. Income from the endowment, at maturity, is expected to yield around $22,500 annually in scholarship funds.

All in all, by the time the last dog was raffled, everyone agreed the Dog Days of Summer had been a doggone good way to highlight the role that animals and veterinary professionals play in the intersection between animals and people, and art and science.