At 93, retired veterinarian Peter Morgenthaler, DVM, hopes to advance veterinary medicine through scholarships for aspiring mixed-animal practitioners.

Morgenthaler established the Dr. Peter Morgenthaler Scholarship at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) to support veterinary graduates planning to enter mixed-animal practice. He also established an award at the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.

The WCVM scholarship is worth $3,000 and recognizes annually a fourth-year veterinary student who has demonstrated excellence with both large and small animals and plans to enter mixed-animal practice after graduation.

The 2026 recipient of the WCVM scholarship is Emerson Ferrier, DVM. “I remember I wanted to [become a vet] since forever, and it was just a goal that I set from before I can remember,” Ferrier, who grew up in Kimberley, B.C., told WCVM Today.

Morgenthaler’s commitment to the profession began in rural Scotland, where, as a young boy, he knew he wanted to become a veterinarian.

He moved to Canada at 23 and completed one year of agriculture studies at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. He then entered the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program at the University of Guelph’s Ontario Veterinary College.

Before graduating, he briefly worked in a laboratory in British Columbia and in a veterinary practice. After graduation, he practised at a large-animal veterinary clinic in Rimbey, Alta.

He identified an area without a veterinarian in 1967 and decided to establish his own clinic. He opened West Kootenay Animal Hospital in Trail, B.C., where he practised for more than 30 years.

Although he has “always been a horse nut,” Morgenthaler also enjoys dogs. His interests helped shape his long career in mixed-animal practice.

Now retired, he wants to support the next generation of veterinarians and contribute to society.

“With this scholarship, I would like to promote my own profession,” said Morgenthaler. “I’ve always been concerned with donating for the public good, and I want to further veterinary medicine.”