Above: Architectural rendering of the Lyon College School of Veterinary Medicine via Lyon College.
Batesville-based Lyon College and the City of Cabot finalized a lease agreement for the Lyon College School of Veterinary Medicine on Monday.
The agreement, approved by the Lyon College Board of Trustees on Nov. 12 and by the Cabot City Council on Monday, paves the way for the veterinary school to open on a multi-acre campus near Exit 21, adjacent to the Game Time at The Grounds city park, in Cabot. Groundbreaking is scheduled for early 2025.
The new veterinary school will be the first graduate program for veterinary science in Arkansas, offering expanded educational and healthcare opportunities. The campus will include the Cabot Animal Services Center, which will collaborate with Lyon College to provide immersive learning experiences for students and animal services for the community.
On Monday, the Cabot City Council also approved a resolution to sell approximately 20 acres of property to developer 11 Arrows for $5.7 million. The city will lease part of the property to house Cabot Animal Support Services facilities, including a veterinary clinic, administrative offices, and other related uses. The remaining property will be subleased to Lyon College for the veterinary school.
Cabot Mayor Ken Kincade expressed enthusiasm for the project.
“The City of Cabot is excited to welcome Lyon College’s School of Veterinary Medicine to our community,” Kincade said. “Cabot’s commitment to fostering excellence in education and healthcare aligns perfectly with Lyon College’s mission. Together, we are creating a hub for veterinary excellence that will not only benefit our residents and animals but also contribute to the advancement of veterinary medicine regionally and beyond.”
The partnership between Cabot and Lyon College builds on a memorandum of understanding signed last year, which outlined plans for collaborative community outreach, educational programs, and animal services. The Cabot Animal Services Center will offer training in animal care, health management, and community welfare.
“Cabot offers a dynamic community, located in a beautiful, ideal setting that provides so many desirable amenities to support our graduate students and their families,” said Dr. Melissa Taverner, president of Lyon College. “With outstanding facilities and a commitment to professional excellence, bolstered by a powerful public-private partnership, the Lyon College School of Veterinary Medicine will prepare future veterinarians to address the evolving challenges in animal health and care. We are extremely grateful to the city council, Mayor Kincade, and our partners in Cabot for making the school a reality.”
Dr. Eleanor Green, founding dean of the veterinary school, highlighted the collaboration’s broader significance. “The unique partnership with Cabot Animal Support Services provides a solid foundation for a national program of excellence in shelter medicine and animal welfare that will bring recognition to LCSVM, CASS, and Cabot.”
The project is expected to have a significant economic impact, creating opportunities for educational growth, healthcare improvements, and workforce development.
“We are excited to see Lyon College’s School of Veterinary Medicine become a reality in our community,” said Alicia Payseno, director of economic development for the City of Cabot.
In 2022, Lyon announced its plans to develop the veterinary school and dental school.
The first location selected for the Lyon College School of Veterinary Medicine was the former campus of the Heifer Project in Little Rock. Plans for that location fell through in 2023. In late July of 2024, a groundbreaking ceremony was held in Little Rock’s Riverdale district for the Lyon College School of Dental Medicine, the first dental school in Arkansas.
For more information about the Lyon College School of Veterinary Medicine, please visit LyonInstitute.com.
Have a news tip or event to promote? Email White River Now at news@whiterivernow.com. Be sure to like and follow us on Facebook and Twitter. And don’t forget to download the White River Now mobile app from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.
Get up-to-date local and regional news/weather every weekday morning and afternoon from the First Community Bank Newsroom on Arkansas 103.3 KWOZ. White River Now updates are also aired weekday mornings on 93 KZLE, Outlaw 106.5, and Your FM 99.5.
