College avenue hits raCks today! THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN Fort Collins, Colorado COLLEGIAN Volume 115 | No. 149 wednesday, april 25, 2007 www.collegian.com THE STUDENT VOICE OF COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1891 the LIMELIGHT GOING VetHOME delivers mercy By Brandon lowrey contacts The Rocky Mountain Collegian • For grief counselors at the Argus In stitute at the CSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital: LOVELAND — Joni O’Neill runs a hand (970) 217-7069 along her black Labrador’s coat. • Home to Heaven: (970) 412-6212 Jonah, lying down on a mat in the O’Neill family’s country-style home, answers excit- edly by wagging his tail. And if dogs grin, he’s grinning. sic. Her dark blue Toyota van fills with silence, His tongue shoots out to score a few quick and the silence fills with focus. kisses on O’Neill’s face. She manages to smile. She’s not religious, but she prays — a rem- But for a few moments too long, Jonah’s nant of her Catholic upbringing. old eyes stare up into hers. O’Neill finally Let it be a peaceful passing. Let everything looks away as tears and a stifled sob betray go well. her feelings. “It’s almost like a superstitious thing, This is how she wants it to end. now,” she says. “I wanted to put him down with a smile on Cooney recently performed her his face,” she said. “I put one down suffering 103rd euthanasia — about 30 procedures in before, and...” April, alone — unthinkable if she felt guilty, She trails off. even for a moment. At about 13 years old — a wise 100-some- Cooney believes in her work. thing in dog years — the whites of Jonah’s eyes She has seen pet owners weeping on the have turned a mottled brown and silver hairs floors of cold, sterile clinics. And when one of pepper his coat. Arthritis has seized his joints her pets had to be put down at home, some- and a tumor has erupted from one of his legs. thing about it felt right. Her husband needed He’s losing weight fast. to grieve, she says. At home, he was able to. Dr. Kathleen Cooney crouches behind She consults pet owners, recommending him, taking the necessary instruments from and accommodating her black bag. Her curly red hair is tied back, all possible alternatives to euthanasia includ- and a stethoscope dangles over her blue doc- ing adoption, if the pet’s problem is behav- tor’s scrub shirt. This is her job — house calls ioral. for suffering, terminally ill pets. She eases But in some cases, there is no alternative. their deaths. As draining as her job can be, it’s less She delivers mercy. stressful than a traditional practice. Cooney speaks soothingly. Her voice car- Death is final. There is no upkeep, no ries a gentle sense of frankness and finality. medication, no checkups and no second- No matter the words, her voice seems to say, guessing. “Everything is going to be all right, and you’re The procedure is often a last resort for vet- doing the right thing.” erinarians, though it is exceedingly common. Cooney prepares a syringe of clear liquid, At shelters, up to 15 million animals a year are which will plunge the dog into a deep slum- destroyed to control the population of strays ber. and the unwanteds. Her eyes seek O’Neill, waiting for a signal The animals Cooney puts down, however, to begin. are far from unwanted. She’s become more fluid and practiced at Home to HeaVen performing the procedure, but each home she A graduate of CSU’s veterinary school, visits is a novel world of grief. Cooney offers her rare service of at-home Most of her visits last about an hour. Her euthanasia to Northern Colorado and south- longest was three, when a cat owner couldn’t eastern Wyoming. bring herself to let her pet go. Another last Other veterinarians often make house meal. Just one more walk. A few more minutes calls and put pets down there upon request. katie steVens | COLLEGIAN for a final cuddle. But Cooney specializes in at-home euthana- “We bawled together for three hours,” she Dr. Kathleen Cooney poses with her dog, Sally, in front of her home in south Fort Collins sia. It’s the only service her business, Home to says. “It was tough.” on Monday. The business she runs, Home to Heaven, specializes in at-home euthanasia Heaven, offers. She prides herself on her ability to shed for companion animals. Cooney, a CSU veterinary school graduate, learned techniques to A few miles before she reaches her ap- comfort grieving owners from CSU’s Argus Institute. pointments, Cooney always shuts off the mu- See Pets on Page 5 Goodall to speak, sells out Moby Talkin’ Tash By James Holt Montfort,” said Twila Kindsfather, assistant The Rocky Mountain Collegian controller for the Montfort Family Founda- tion. “It’s a non-profit foundation that pri- Dr. Jane Goodall, world-renowned marily gives to Larimer County.” chimpanzee researcher and conservation- The Monfort Lecture series features ist, will present her speech, “A Reason for speakers of international distinction and Hope,” in the Moby Arena at 7:30 tonight. has included such speakers as Ernesto Ze- She is expected to speak on her life and dillo in 2006, Mikhail Gorbachev in 2005, work as well as “the power each one of us and Madeleine Albright in 2004. has to make a difference every moment of Goodall was 26 years old when she be- every day,” according to a statement. gan her research on the chimpanzees of “Colorado State is really honored to Tanzania in East Africa in 1960. Though it have Jane Goodall as a Monfort Speaker,” was unheard of for a woman to trek so far said Jennifer Dimas, manager of media and into the African wilderness, it was only five community relations for CSU. “Students as months later that she made her most im- well as the surrounding community will be portant discovery. inspired by Dr. Goodall’s message.” She observed two chimps using On her Web site, Goodall identifies stripped twigs as tools for getting termites four reasons to hope for Africa: the human out of a nest. brain, the determination of young people, Until that time, it was thought the only the indomitable human spirit, and the re- thing separating humanity from the ani- silience of nature. mals was our ability to make and use tools. “It is easy to be overwhelmed by feel- Goodall’s discovery forced a reexamination ings of hopelessness as we look around the of what it meant to be human. world,” Goodall wrote on janegoodall.org. “Now we must redefine tool, redefine “Is there, in fact, hope for Africa’s future? man, or accept chimpanzees as humans,” PHoto courtesy of PBs setH kuddes | COLLEGIAN Yes.” said Goodall’s mentor, anthropologist Lou- Chimp expert Jane Goodall will share her The lecture is funded by the Monfort is Leakey, when the discovery was made. knowledge with CSU students tonight at Ashton Metcalf, a senior technical journal- Family Foundation, which has gifted a total Before her first year was over, Goodall 7:30 p.m. in Moby Arena. “Students as ism major, won the prestigious #1 In America of more than $12.5 million to CSU. made a second discovery when she saw well as the surrounding community will be On-Air Personality award. Check out Ashton’s “(The Monfort Foundation) is a fam- chimpanzees hunting and eating bush inspired by Dr. Goodall’s message,” said show, Tash Talk, every Tuesday and Thursday ily directed, charitable organization es- Jennifer Dimas, manager of media and com- from 1 to 4 p.m. on KCSU, 90.5 FM. tablished in 1970 by Warren and Edith See Goodall on Page 3 munity relations for CSU. Group addresses harmful effects of smoke on pets By Jessi stafford cals your pooch is unknow- college-aged smokers of the pets,” said Gwen Sieving, or- er things. All students are wel- likely to develop lung or nasal The Rocky Mountain Collegian ingly inhaling. Today, from health risks their canines are ganizer of Stomp, Romp and come to join, as are their dogs. cancer than dogs who live in 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., CSU is subjected to because of the Wag. As part of the annual Thirty-six percent of CSU smoke-free homes. Secondhand smoke not hosting the 5th annual Stomp, cancer-causing addiction. event, there will be basic health students are tobacco users, ac- “Protect your pet,” Sieving only affects your roommate, Romp and Wag on the north “Fifty-two percent of the checks for dogs, a guest speak- cording to Tobacco Use Among said. but it also affects your dog. lawn of Hartshorn Health Ser- people who attended last er from the Veterinary Teach- College Students Survey, and News Editor Jessi Stafford And CSU is genuinely con- vice. The event is held each years’ event did not know that ing Hospital and a pet-owner dogs that inhale secondhand can be reached news@colle- cerned about the 4,000 chemi- spring in hopes of educating secondhand smoke is bad for look-alike contest, among oth- smoke are three times more gian.com. 2 Wednesday, April 25, 2007 | The Rocky Mountain Collegian weather Calendar of us has to make a difference, every moment of every day. Campus eye Today, April 25 Today 5th Annual Stomp, Romp, and Rain/Snow showers Wag new issue on 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.