A precious resource for the next generation of vets
Our animals are an integral part of our lives – their unconditional love is invaluable and saying goodbye is never easy. You can honour their life by donating your pet’s body to support veterinary education. Our Little Angel Educational Memorial Programme provides an opportunity to find meaning after the loss of your pet. Previous donors have expressed satisfaction in supporting the next generation of veterinarians and the animals they will go onto look after. Only you can decide if our programme is the best option for you and your beloved pet. We understand what a difficult decision it is, and we are grateful for your forethought.
The Programme
By donating your animal’s body to this programme, you are helping us to provide a valuable teaching resource for the next generation of veterinarians.
Donation of a pet’s body to the CityU Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences is for veterinary education (usually pathology and anatomy) and for research to advance animal health and welfare. Your pet, even in death, can make a vital contribution to the training of a skilled and compassionate veterinarian.
Our students and staff greatly appreciate the training opportunities this program provides. We treat all animals in our care with the utmost respect and dignity.
Which Animals are Suitable?
Every animal is potentially suitable for donation. There are certain animal species (only mammals are currently accepted e.g. dog, cat, rabbit, guinea pig etc.) and situations that may not be suitable. Please discuss with your veterinarian.
How do I participate?
If you wish to donate your animal’s body, please talk to your vet. Your vet will ask you to sign a consent form at the time of your visit. Your vet will also provide a brief medical history of your pet in this form. We need this medical history so we can provide the greatest educational benefit to our students.
Please be assured that students will not see any of your personal identifying information.
What happens next?
Upon receiving the completed consent form from your vet, a designated animal cremation company (Goodbye Dear*) will contact the clinic to arrange collection of your pet’s body.
* The designated animal cremation company has been carefully chosen by our team to ensure professional handling, and to manage health and safety concerns. Please kindly understand the designated animal cremation company cannot be changed. Thank you for your kind understanding.
You can choose for your pets’ ashes to be returned to you (free of charge) by selecting this option on the consent form.
If you wish, you can choose for a farewell ceremony of your pet with the designated animal cremation company (at your expense) before your animal is sent to our college for teaching. If this option is selected on the consent form, the designated animal cremation company will contact you to make the arrangements. Please note CityU Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences will not be responsible for the farewell ceremony or any associated arrangements. Your animal’s body will be transferred to our college for teaching after the farewell ceremony.
If a farewell ceremony at the designated animal cremation company is not requested, please farewell your pet at the clinic at the time of filling in the consent form. You will not be able to farewell your pet after its body has been transferred to our college for teaching.
You can expect the return of your animal’s ashes within 4 months of acceptance of body donation to the programme.
A brief report (free of charge) of findings from the teaching post mortem examination will be issued to your veterinarian within days after the teaching post mortem examination is done. You can contact your vet if you would like information about the findings.
After the teaching post mortem is complete, your pet’s remains will be cremated by the designated animal cremation company. The company will contact you to pick up the ashes when ready, if you have selected this option.
Summary of Action
Please talk to your vet and fill in the donation consent form.
Select on the consent form if you wish for your pet’s ashes to be returned to you. If yes, the designated animal cremation company will contact you when the ashes are ready to be pick up.
Select on the consent form if farewell ceremony at the designated animal cremation company is required. If yes, the designated animal cremation company will contact you to discuss the details for the cost and this arrangement. If no, please farewell your animal at the clinic while filling in the donation form. You are kindly reminded you will not be able to farewell your animal after the teaching activity has been conducted.
Your vet will contact you when the gross report of the teaching post mortem examination is ready and discuss with you any findings.
Contact Us
Tel: (852) 3442 5605 / 3442 7255
Email: little.angel@cityu.edu.hk
Office hours: Mon to Fri (except public holidays), 9:00 am – 5:00 pm (Note: All potential body donation will be triaged and reviewed. Same day body pick-up may not be available and is subject to service availability.)