The College of Veterinary Medicine held its annual open house Saturday at its campus on Wire Road.
Through the rain there were a variety of activities and demonstrations to help educate future veterinary students.
"It's really beneficial because it provides a glimpse of what you can expect once you're a student in the vet school," said Shannon Hinton, a recent veterinary school admit. "Plus, you get to meet some of the people that will be your classmates."
She said it could be a disadvantage for her, but she is excited to be in.
"It feels good knowing I'll have one less year of school to do, but it's scary because I don't have a bachelor's degree and there will be people in my class that have a lot more experience," Hinton said. "The open house provided me with a little bit of comfort."
Hinton said the open house is not just for college students.
"There are lots of activities for younger kids," Hinton said. "There is a petting zoo, teddy bear surgery and animal parades that let them see the different aspects of veterinary medicine up close."
Hinton said it would be helpful for anyone that is at all interested in becoming a vet to attend the open house.
"Displays for each vet-related club were set up, giving students a chance to see what they might want to get involved with come fall," Hinton said. "It really gives an overall look of what it's like to be a vet student."
Jessica Jones, senior in animal science, said she looks forward to the open house every year.
"I like that I can meet the people that I will be having classes with and doing research projects with," Jones said. "It's a great way to prepare for what's ahead."
The open house included canine, bovine and equine parades of breeds, as well as the Southeastern Raptor Center's birds of prey.
Also, demonstrations of ultrasound, radiographs and CPR were offered to educate future veterinary students.
"I especially like the educational exhibits," Jones said. "The aging horse, surgical room and exotic pets are fun and teach you a lot."
Jones said the open house helped her decide that she wanted to go into veterinary medicine.
"I always loved animals and have ridden horses my entire life, but I wasn't sure what I wanted to do," Jones said. "The open house helped me. It taught me a lot."
Boy Scouts could work toward a Veterinary Medicine Merit Badge at the open house, and Cub Scouts could receive a certificate in Wildlife Conservation.
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