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CVMA Mourns Loss of Past-President, Dr. Pearce Louisy
Dec 2, 2024
April 17, 1930 – November 19, 2024
Dr. Pearce Louisy, an important member of his beloved veterinary profession, died on November 19, 2024, at the age of 94. He was born on the island of St. Lucia in the West Indies where he completed primary and secondary education. He came to Canada in 1951 to attend the Ontario Veterinary College, where is brother, Dr. Graham Louisy (OVC 1951) also earned his DVM.
After graduating in 1956, Dr. Louisy accepted a position as Veterinary Officer in South Trinidad, West Indies where he met and married his lovely and gracious wife Helen. They immigrated to Calgary, Alta. in 1957 and worked in a mixed animal practice with the late Dr. Morris Hanson. The hazardous winter driving conditions on isolated roads convinced Dr. Louisy to convert his professional focus, in 1959, he and Dr. Hanson opened the McLeod Trail Animal Hospital which was devoted to small animal practice. There were only four animal hospitals in the city at that time. This move allowed Dr. Louisy to devote more time to his family when his sons Robert and Andrew were born in 1957 and 1959, respectively.
In 1961, Dr. Louisy struck out and opened the 17th Avenue Animal Hospital and in 1966 he constructed a new state of the art hospital under the same name. The practice grew to include a referral speciality in ophthalmology operated by his partner Dr. Richard Christmas and recognized speciality work in internal medicine with his partner Dr. Jack Wilson.
Dr. Louisy was recognized by his veterinary colleagues as a talented general and orthopedic surgeon, and he influenced many young people to join the veterinary profession. His niece Nicola graduated from the OVC in 1992 and his granddaughter Danielle Rowe, who owns and operates the Nolan Hill Veterinary Hospital in Calgary, graduated from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in 2009.
Dr. Louisy was passionate about giving back to the veterinary profession and to his community outside of his work. He was instrumental in the formation of the Calgary Academy of Veterinary Medicine which serves to promote continuing education for the profession in Calgary and foster collegiality among the local clinicians. He also conducted evening classes at the University of Calgary for breeders, dog handlers, and interested public on canine and feline healthcare and began an open line radio show on small animal healthcare for the local CBC radio station.
Dr. Louisy was elected as a member of the Council of the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association (AbVMA) in 1971 and helped pioneer the establishment of practice standards in the province. He was also a member of the team that inspected small animal practices in Winnipeg for the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA). In 1973, Dr. Louisy was appointed as AbVMA representative to the CVMA Council.
Dr. Louisy helped coordinate a successful public awareness campaign funded by the City of Calgary and jointly sponsored by the AbVMA and the Humane Society, with participation of the local media, when the City expressed concern about cruelty caused by the casualness and sometimes neglect of pet owners that created extra taxpayer costs in dealing with stray animals.
Dr. Louisy was elected President of the CVMA in 1976 and helped establish the Pet Food Certification Program during his term. In 1981, he was a member of the joint CVMA and American Veterinary Medical Association team tasked with the inspection and certification of the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine for accreditation by both associations.
While Dr. Louisy retired from private practice in 1991, he selected by the CVMA two years later to manage its joint cooperative project with the Indonesian Veterinary Association (IVA) funded by the Canadian International Development Agency. His primary function was to assist in reorganizing and revitalizing the IVA and to initiate a professional development program. Dr. Louisy was instrumental in setting up the first private small animal hospital in Indonesia where he trained the veterinary staff and organized continuing educational seminars and wet labs for veterinarians throughout the country over the four-year project.
Dr. Louisy received several awards throughout his career, including the CVMA Gaines Small Animal Practitioner of the Year Award, the Calgary SPCA Humanitarian of the Year Award, and the Adikarya Satwa Award from the IVA and veterinary practices in Indonesia. Additionally, he was awarded IVA Honorary Life Membership and CVMA Life Membership and received the AbVMA Meritorious Service Award.
Outside of his profession, Dr. Louisy was busy contributing varied service in his community. He was Cub Leader and Charter Member of the Chinook Chapter of the Lions Club and served on the Calgary Cancer Board and the Parents Advisory Committee of the St. Mary School. Following the disastrous hurricane that struck St. Lucia in 1980, Dr. Louisy served as Co-Chairman of the committee to help victims by raising funds and collecting food and clothing from Calgary and the province. He has been active in Caribbean cultural activities acting as an emcee and participating in costume parades on festival days. Dr. Louisy was a member of the local cricket team that won several provincial championships and represented Canada in an International Cricket Tournament. He was a keen tennis competitor and won the Western Canada Doubles Championship at a Seniors Master Tournament for two consecutive years.
Dr. Louisy acknowledged that his busy career was driven by a deep desire to repay the country that provided him an opportunity to attain a university education and the profession that allowed him the means to achieve his life goals. He was proud to have served.
Dr. Louisy is survived by his children Robert and Andrew and is predeceased by his daughter Irene Mauricette. He is also survived by his grandchildren Danielle, Nicolette, Courtney, Jordan, Ethan, Shayne, and Derek. He leaves behind seven great grand children, and many nieces and nephews in Canada and throughout the world.
Submitted by Dr. Richard Christmas