Brigadier
The Toronto Police Service and the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) have created a special memorial fund following the death of Brigadier, the police horse that died in the line of duty after being struck by a hit-and-run driver on Feb. 24.
"We are deeply touched and honoured to accept gifts in memory of Brigadier," said Dr. Elizabeth Stone, OVC dean.
"There is nothing quite like the bond between rider and horse. On behalf of the college, I would like to extend our sympathies to the injured officer and the Toronto Police Service on the tragic loss of such a heroic, beautiful animal."
OVC clinicians have provided specialist services to the force's mounted unit for many years, so it's fitting that they support one another at such a difficult time, Stone added.
A memorial service for Brigadier will be held Monday, March 6 at 10 a.m. at the Ricoh Coliseum on the Canadian National Exhibition Grounds.
After being euthanized due to the severity of his injuries, Brigadier was brought to OVC in the early morning hours of Feb. 25 for a full post-mortem examination. One of the investigators on the case, Detective Constable Kimberley Greener, is also an OVC graduate (Class of '96), so she knew Brigadier would be in good hands.
"Grant Maxie was phenomenal," said Greener, referring to the director of the Animal Health Laboratory. "I first spoke to him at quarter to 11 Friday night, and I spoke to him again at one in the morning when he went into the lab and received Brigadier personally... Dr. Murray Hazlett [of the AHL] was in there Saturday doing the autopsy for me. We had a radiologist doing X-rays for a radiology report. These are all things that we need for evidence in court."
It was Greener who suggested to the head of the mounted unit, Staff Inspector William Wardle, that the police service might want to acknowledge the support from OVC and the AHL.
"I'm just glad that he decided to take the ball and run with it," said Greener, who in addition to her duties as a full-time police officer, still manages to practice veterinary medicine part-time.
Wardle said the Toronto Police are proud of their partnership with the OVC and the University of Guelph.
"We are also very grateful for the assistance and dedication shown by Dr. Hazlett and the staff," he said. "We hope the donations made in Brigadier's name will help the veterinary college achieve its goals."
Gifts made in memory of Brigadier will be directed toward The Brigadier Memorial Fund at the Ontario Veterinary College to support clinical care for horses at the Large Animal Clinic.
To make a gift in memory of Brigadier:
• By credit card online at www.alumni.uoguelph.ca/cgi-bin/online_giving2004.pl
Under the section of the donation form headed "I would like to donate to", please select "Other" and specify "The Brigadier Memorial Fund at OVC."
• Gifts by cheque can be mailed to
Alumni House, University of Guelph
Guelph, ON N1G 2W1
Please make cheques payable to the "University of Guelph" and note, on the cheque, the designation to "The Brigadier Memorial Fund at OVC"
For more information, contact Barry Gunn, OVC Communications Officer, at (519) 824-4120 ext. 54414 or email bagunn@ovc.uoguelph.ca
