TCC students get boost in education from star of Animal Planet’s Emergency Vets

Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald, best known as one of the veterinarians featured on Animal Planet’s Emergency Vets brings his unique mix of on-the-job tales and humor to Tulsa. He will headline an evening of laughter and learning on Tuesday, April 23 at 7:30 p.m.,to help raise money for Tulsa Community College’s Veterinary Technology Program.

Fitzgerald is a stand-up comedian and a veterinarian at the VCA Alameda East Veterinary Hospital in Denver. You may recognize him from his 11 seasons on Emergency Vets or as the opening act for Bob Hope, Jeff Foxworthy, and George Lopez. “Nobody laughs enough and we should never take ourselves too seriously,” said Fitzgerald. “The lighter side of working with animals is you never know what is going to come in the door and you never know what they are going to do or what the people are going to say!”

The evening with Dr. Fitzgerald promises to be part stand-up routine as he shares insights based on his experience as a veterinarian and part education as he shares photographs and stories from his travels on behalf of endangered animals. The event is designed to raise money for the Dr. Jan Weaver Veterinary Technology Scholarship, an annual scholarship given to a second year veterinary technology student.

TCC’s Veterinary Technology program was started in 1999. It is one of three programs currently in the state of Oklahoma and one of 200 accredited programs across the country. “All of TCC’s graduates from the program are in high demand and are recruited by employees on a local and regional level,” said Dr. Jan Weaver-Barnett, coordinator of the veterinary technology program.

“I believe that veterinary technicians are the life blood of our profession – but also the forgotten children of veterinary medicine and I take every opportunity I can to champion their cause and celebrate them,” said Fitzgerald. “I am very proud to come to Tulsa and to be associated with this wonderful program.”

In addition to being a veterinarian and TV star, Fitzgerald was a former bouncer for such groups as The Rolling Stones and The Who. A job, he said, that brought him to Tulsa many times while working for the rock promoter Bill Graham in the early seventies. “I came through with Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings and I worked for Tulsa’s favorite son on a tour – Leon Russell,” said Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald returns to Tulsa, Tuesday, April 23 and tickets for the event are $20 for adults and $10 for students. There is a premium ticket package for $50 that includes select seating, a meet-and-greet reception prior to the event with Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald and a signed DVD featuring some of his fascinating animal expedition footage and highlights of his best stand-up. Tickets can be purchased by calling the TCC VanTrease Performing Arts Center for Education ticket office at (918) 595-7777 or by going to www.myticketoffice.com.