A PETITION has been launched in a desperate attempt to stop the University of Queensland from permanently walking away from its Dayboro Veterinary Clinic.
Local small scale cattle producer Virginia Bell said she stumbled on the announcement of the planned closure on the UQ website, which quoted management and financial reasons for the withdrawl of the service from February 23.
"An essential service is being ripped out of a small town and it will have a significant impact on this community," Ms Bell said.
"There's been no warning and no consultation and it seems no thought given to the continuity of care.
"The other vets in this town are stretched. UQ's Dayboro clinic provides a level of service that goes above and beyond for the dairy and beef cattle with a tertiary level of technology."
According to UQ announcement made on November 12, the teaching of students at the Dayboro clinic will end by November 23, with the clinic to close on February 23 when the clinic will be consolidated into UQ's Gatton Campus.
"The proposed closure will bring an end to a wonderful 34-year long journey of partnership centred on a shared passion for animal health, wellbeing and production," the statement reads.
"We've made some great memories with our patients, their terrific owners and the broader Dayboro community."
UQ paid tribute to Dr Don Kerr who founded the practice, and the clinic's contribution to the community during the past 34 years.
"Being a university level teaching clinic, the clinic provides farmers and the community access to cutting edge research and development," the petition's preamble reads.
"The Dayboro Vet Clinic is the only service of its kind available to farmers and the larger community in the region.
"The farmers and the community need them."
The petition's organisers say an approach will be made to Professor Nigel Perkins, the head of UQ's School of Veterinary Science, inviting him to a meeting.
More than 3000 people were shown to have signed the petition when this story was published on Queensland Country Life website.
According to its website, UQ has had the largest intake of veterinary students of any university in Australia, producing more than 3000 veterinary science graduates working in 53 countries around the world
About 70 per cent of all practising veterinarians in Queensland are said to be UQ graduates.
Further comment has been sought from UQ.
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