2 May 2026
Officials said the donation will “create new pathways” to advancing human and animal health.
Chris Simpson
Job Title
An aerial conceptual rendering of how the new small animal hospital may look. Image: WRNS Studio
The University of California, Davis (UC Davis) vet school has celebrated a US$75 million donation set to have a transformative impact on the advancement of veterinary care and human health.
The donation from Bay Area residents Kathy Chiao and Kenneth Hao is the second largest individual gift ever made to the UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine, following a record-breaking US$120 million gift received in January.
It will support the school’s US$750 million expansion, which will include a new small animal hospital the university anticipates will allow it to treat an additional 25,000 animals each year.
The state-of-the-art hospital is scheduled to open in 2030 and “will stand among the largest and most advanced veterinary medical centres in the world”.
The donation will also fund the continued development of animal-human translational medicine and expand the school’s student scholarship endowment; UC Davis plans to increase its number of vet students from 600 to 800 over the next several years.
It will also support assistance programmes providing veterinary care for clients facing financial hardship, including student-led clinics, compassionate care funds and shelter medicine programmes.
Ms Chiao and Mr Hao – longtime supporters of academic hospitals, health sciences and animal welfare – said: “This is a pivotal time to expand support for UC Davis and its extraordinary veterinarians – true everyday heroes.
“We deeply value the advancement of health care for every type of animal. We also believe research in veterinary medicine and human life sciences will be increasingly interconnected and mutually reinforcing.”
Mr Hao – the chairman and managing partner of global technology investment firm Silver Lake – serves as vice-chair of the UC San Francisco board of directors and as co-chair of its Health Executive Council.
Chancellor Gary May said he was “deeply grateful for their vision and philanthropy” and that the gift “will transform animal care and create new pathways to advance human health”.
Vet school dean Mark Stetter added: “This incredible gift from Kathy Chiao and Ken Hao enables our school to give the best care possible.
“Thanks to them, our new hospital will serve even more animals and our students will graduate with the freedom of choice in their paths and go on to help our world.
“Thanks to them, our school will continue to do what it does best – making advancements in veterinary health that has potential to help us all.”
