Close this Alert
Contact: Anissa Riley, College of Veterinary Medicine
Tuskegee University is proud to announce that Dr. Treyton Diggs, a 2007 graduate of the College of Veterinary Medicine, has been named The Westminster Kennel Club’s 2024 Veterinarian of the Year.
The Boutte, Louisiana native is the first African American and Louisianan to be honored with this award. He was selected for his values, dedication, and moral compass in animal care.
“We are extremely proud of Dr. Diggs and the many accomplishments he has made since graduating from Tuskegee University,” said Dr. Ruby L. Perry, Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine. “He represents well the proud legacy and leadership history our College has in the veterinary profession.”
After completing his studies at Tuskegee, Dr. Diggs returned to Louisiana and worked at the VCA Causeway Animal Hospital. In 2013 he founded Allstar Animal Clinic, which specializes in soft tissue and orthopedic surgery and canine reproduction. He received training from board certified specialists in Small Animal Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Emergency and Critical Care, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Surgery, Dentistry, and Radiology.
“I also extend my heart-felt congratulations to Dr. Diggs. This is yet another example of how Tuskegee prepares our students to solve the world’s most complex problems,” said Dr. Mark A. Brown, President and CEO of Tuskegee University. “Dr. Diggs marks a path for current and future Tuskegee students to follow. By pursuing a dream and diligently working to become an expert in his field, he is showing the leadership that we strive to instill in all our students.”
Dr. Perry agrees.
“I often boast about the strength of our alumni and how engaged they are in the success of our college in not only making philanthropic contributions but also serving as mentors to our veterinary students and advocates for advancing veterinary medical education,” she said. “Thank you, Dr. Diggs, for continuing to ‘Raise the Bar to Excellence’ for our College. Alumni, such as yourself, continue to be a major pillar of our College in which I am grateful to call a colleague in our beloved profession.”
Located in Alabama as one of the state’s two accredited veterinary programs, the Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine (TUCVM) was envisioned in 1944 by Dr. Frederick D. Patterson, founder of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), and officially established at Tuskegee in 1945. TUCVM is the only veterinary medical professional program located on the campus of a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in the United States. The College has educated more than 70 percent of the nation’s African American veterinarians and has been recognized as the most diverse of all schools/colleges of veterinary medicine in the nation. The College’s primary mission is to provide an environment that fosters a spirit of active, independent, and self-directed learning, intellectual curiosity, creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, ethics, and leadership; and promotes teaching, research, and service in veterinary medicine and related disciplines. For more information, visit www.tuskegee.edu/vetmed.
The Westminster Kennel Club, established in 1877, is America's oldest organization dedicated to the sport of showing dogs. It hosts the iconic, all-breed Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, the second-longest, continuously held sporting event in the U.S. after the Kentucky Derby and, since 1948, the longest nationally televised live dog show. The Club’s mission is to enhance the lives of all dogs by celebrating the companionship of dogs and promoting responsible dog ownership and breed preservation. The Club advocates for purpose-bred dogs, with an understanding that each breed has a legacy and history that deserves to be taught, honored, and preserved. The Club uses education to raise awareness and encourage owners to conscientiously select dogs that are the right match for their families. The annual dog show—a conformation competition for purpose-bred dogs—and the Masters Agility Championship and Masters Obedience Championship—where dogs from all backgrounds are eligible to compete—make Westminster Week, with thousands of dogs from the U.S. and around the world, a pinnacle experience for any dog lover. The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show has captivated canine enthusiasts for more than a century. Learn more at westminsterkennelclub.org.
© 2025 Tuskegee University