In early 2011, with the Terry Center scheduled to open in May of that year, the need for art came to the attention of the North Carolina Veterinary Medical Foundation (NCVMF) Board of Directors. The NCVMF is an advisory and advocacy group that attracts support for the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine. Because every penny that had been raised for the new medical center was needed to build and equip the hospital, there was no allocation in the budget for art. The Board received permission to assume the task of acquiring art for the building and quickly created an Art Committee to direct the project.
The mission of the committee was to place in the hospital quality, animal-themed art that would compliment the building, enhance the experiences of both the clientele and the staff, and celebrate the animal-human bond. Every piece of art on the walls was given to the Foundation. Each piece was reviewed and approved by the Art Committee before inclusion in the collection.
