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2019 Dr. Milton Ness Memorial Teddy Bear Hospital

7/15/2019 8:55:50 PM

Dr. Milton Ness Memorial Teddy Bear Hospital at Dreamnight at the Zoo


We would like to thank all of those who volunteered in the hospital at this year's Dreamnight at the Zoo!


Click here to find our more about Dr. Milton Ness





Your enthusiasm and kindness made a huge impression on many children and parents!


Information about the 2019 EASAV Teddy Bear Drive 


Each year, Edmonton and area veterinary clinics collect donations of stuffed animals to give to patients and families of the Children's Stollery Hospital at Dreamnight at the Zoo! Our vets and techs run teddy bear drives in their practices, their children's schools and collect these donations from clients, family and friends!

At our Teddy Bear Hospital, over 700 children are given a stuffed animal and invited to interact with real veterinarians and vet techs while they remove foreign bodies from our stuffed surgery dogs, participate in various interactive displays, bandage their new friends (and themselves!) and participate in a poop scoop race.

The veterinary clinics run their own Teddy Bear Drives individually. If you have some very gently used or new stuffed animals (any size) that you would like to donate, please hang on to them and contact one of our participating veterinary clinics between January and April of each year to arrange for their delivery!

Questions? Please contact our Executive Assistant, Smokey Walters at (780)970-3728 or by email to info@easav.ca.

Like and follow us on Facebook to share our Teddy Bear Drive with your family & friends and receive updates!

Veterinary Clinic Depot Centres 
The following clinics are ready to take your donations until May 1 of each year! 
If you would prefer to drop donations off at your own veterinary clinic, ask them if they can store your donation & contact us on your behalf!

Edmonton
 Sherwood Park
Spruce Grove
 Stony Plain
 St. Albert
Background information: Dreamnight at the Zoo is an annual international event held by over 255 participating zoos, aquariums, and parks, providing a joyous cost-free evening for chronically ill and disabled children and their families. In Edmonton, this event is celebrated by the Edmonton Valley Zoo in partnership with the Stollery Children’s Hospital and many local volunteer contributors.

Since its inception in 2015, children have found delight in EASAV’s ‘The Teddy Bear Hospital’, a brainchild of the late Dr. Milton Ness and Smokey Walters, EASAV’s Executive Assistant. With each year, its popularity continues to grow and now the hospital’s capacity is designed to accommodate more than 700 child visitors.

Families who visit us will find a cozy "hospital" experience provided by EASAV member veterinarians, clinic staff and their families. Interactive hands-on displays include adoption of donated stuffed animals with personalized ID collars, a bandaging centre, stocked with decorative vetrap for wound care, and a surgery room, where foreign body surgery can be performed on a stuffed “teddy”, revealing surprising treasures inside to reward the brave surgeons.  An outdoor photo booth to record and help commemorate the event all add to the fun.



EASAV would like to thank the following people for their hard work and dedication towards the hospital this year:

Event Volunteers: Dr. Natasha Russell, Cale Spicer, Dr. Clare Leger, Alice Boshier, Dr. Kim Robinson, Michelle Yoon, Dr. Tanya Marrazzo, Juliet Fung, Dr. Lisa Collis, Dr. Becca Wink, Rebecca Bicknell, Dr. Cheryl Lewis, Jennifer Babyak, Dr. Christie Gingras, Jackie Sehlin, Dr. Laverne Nikiforuk, Tia Schram, Dallas Schram, Dr. Niran Sabanathan, Matthew Nordlund, Lynn Bussey, Chantelle Neufeld, Gabriella Azevedo, Becca Trudel, Katherine Quenneville, Jodie Barrister, Trina Maloney, Dr. Annabelle Sydie-Smith, Morgan Pusch, Ashley French, Colleen Cope, Robert Belland, Dr. Jessica Miller, Carmela Ricioppo, Dr. Lynnette Fowler, Dr. Heather Steele, Dean Darwent, Kayla Fielden, Dr. Robin Schade, Dr. Christa Olenick, Jasmine Greenwood, Smokey Walters

Stuffed Animal Donation Delivery Drivers: WDDC Drivers, Adam Spies, Alice Boshier, Alana Gomez, Linzi Martin, Tammy Sorensen

Mock Foreign Body Surgery Dogs: Dr. Melody Howlett, Smokey Walters and the Capilano/Ottewell Animal Clinics

Set-up Volunteers: from left to right: Elly Paslawsky, Cindy Luniw-Adsit, Dr. Jackie Simmonds, Dr. Laverne Nikiforuk, Marcy Plunkett, Michelle Spurway & Debbie Claassen (Missing from photo: Seraph Forth and Smokey Walters)


Financial Donors: Kathy Ness, Dr. Annabelle Sydie-Smith and clients of the Delton Veterinary Hospital

Stuffed Animal and supply donors: Spruce Grove Veterinary Clinic, Guardian Veterinary Centre, Delton Veterinary Hospital, Alana Gomez, Belle Rive Pet Hospital, MacTaggart Veterinary Clinic, Castledowns Animal Hospital, Uncas Veterinary Clinic, Mayfield Animal Hospital, Millwoods East Veterinary Clinic, Marketplace Animal Hospital, NAIT Animal Health Department, South Side Animal Hospital, Sifton Park Veterinary Clinic, WDDC, Morinville Veterinary Hospital

Interactive Displays: Dr. Maria Sung, Mayfield Animal Hospital

Heart Beat Stuffed Animals: Elly Paslawsky, Dr. Kristel Horvath, Dr. Lisa Collis

Photographers: Dr. Niran Sabanathan, Tia Schram

Adoption Centre: organized by the Uncas Veterinary Clinic

Candy and Prize Donors: Millwoods East Vet Clinic, The Edmonton Valley Zoo

Audio/Visual & Video supplied by Robert Belland - Seminar Tech