After 44 years as an educator at the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine and Veterinary Medical Center, James Sikarskie, DVM, MS, DACZM, Professor Emeritus, and clinician for the Hospital’s Zoo and Wildlife Service, has retired.

Under Sikarskie’s care and guidance were the Zoo and Wildlife Service, student wildlife education and clinical experience, and the student Zoo, Wildlife, and Exotics Club (ZEW)—amongst other programs, courses, and research topics.

It is important to the College and Hospital that the animals, students, and zoo and wildlife centers across the State of Michigan continue to receive support, and continue to thrive, in their practice and service.

To reflect this change, Ronan Eustace, DVM, director of animal health for Potter Park Zoo, and Kimberly Thompson, DVM, MPVM, DACVPM, DACZM veterinarian for Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek, MI, are taking over the teaching side of the Wildlife Service. Thompson, who has been a faculty co-advisor of the ZEW Club for the past few years (alongside Sikarskie), will continue to maintain that role within the club. Eustace will join Thompson as co-advisor of the club, which will operate as normal.

Both Drs. Eustace and Thompson are off-site and adjunct professors for the College. As such, from the beginning of July, the Hospital will no longer have an active Wildlife Service on-site, and cannot accept any new patients.

The Hospital will direct any wildlife cases to our trusted and valued partners at Wildside Rehabilitation Center and the A.R.K Association to Rescue Kritters. There also are several more Licensed Rehabilitators through the Michigan Department of Natural Resources that we would be happy to recommend.

The Hospital is still able to offer a variety of specialty services to animals presented through the above-mentioned rescue centers on an outpatient basis.

The MSU College of Veterinary Medicine and Veterinary Medical Center will forever be grateful for the many years of unwavering support, clinical excellence, and one-of-a-kind educational experiences that Dr. Sikarskie provided our students, our faculty and staff, and our veterinary community. While his retirement may result in a period of adjustment, we urge you all to remember that, though the service is changing, our commitment to the education of future veterinary professionals, provision of compassionate care, and advancement of animal and human health, remains the same.