When civil war ripped through what is now the Eastern European country of Bosnia, many dogs and other animals were left to run the streets as owners lost their homes and the resources to care for their animals. Hoping to improve those conditions, a third-year veterinary student at the University of California, Davis, has established an educational exchange with counterparts at the University of Sarajevo in Bosnia. David Dawson, sponsored by the School of Veterinary Medicine's Office of International Programs, visited the Sarajevo university this spring. Now four Bosnian veterinary students are visiting the UC Davis veterinary school, from Aug. 17 to Sept. 8. During their visit, the Bosnians will observe and participate in animal care at the UC Davis teaching hospital and community veterinary clinics. On Friday, Aug. 28, the students will attend a surgical workshop, suturing on a plastic model that they will take home to use as a teaching tool with fellow students. Dawson will return to Bosnia on Sept. 7 for three weeks, accompanied by Dr. Deborah Crippen, a Santa Rosa veterinarian and past president of the California Veterinary Medical Association. Crippen will perform spays and neuters and teach surgery techniques to help Bosnian veterinarians deal humanely with the stray-animal problem. The student exchange has already resulted in equipment donations, a book drive and a sister-school relationship, says Dawson, who is also national president of the Student American Veterinary Medical Association. The Office of International Programs promotes scientific exchange and student veterinary study opportunities around the world.