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Rick LeCouteur
Inviting young readers to marvel at the wonder of nature's creatures
Rick's Blog
#bunyipsbooksbeyond
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Bangkok’s Great Mystery: The story of Jim Thompson (#351)
The Jim Thompson House Museum In the heart of Bangkok, tucked behind high hedges and shaded by towering trees, lies a house that feels...
RIck LeCouteur
1 day ago3 min read
10 views
0 comments
Vanishing Acts: The black hole of children’s picture books (#350)
Every year, roughly 4 million new books are published globally. Â That staggering number represents the hopes and dreams of millions of...
RIck LeCouteur
3 days ago3 min read
5 views
0 comments
When Bureaucracy Fails: What Social Security could learn from a Vet Hospital (#349)
Let’s imagine something absurd.  Your dog is not well. Not just a little off. Something’s wrong. You try to book an appointment at your...
RIck LeCouteur
3 days ago4 min read
11 views
0 comments
Suspending Belief: Veterinary tools that outrun the evidence (#348)
One of the more intriguing developments in recent years is the Equusir BEST‑BOX , a device marketed to diagnose and treat energetic...
RIck LeCouteur
6 days ago3 min read
53 views
0 comments
Profit vs. Patients: When veterinary care becomes a luxury product (#347)
Veterinary medicine is quietly shifting into the realm of luxury. Â For many pet owners, especially those in low-to-middle income...
RIck LeCouteur
6 days ago1 min read
119 views
0 comments
Animals in Childhood Development: What animals teach children (#346)
In the modern Western world, animals play a central role in childhood. Â From the moment a baby is born, animals surround them in...
RIck LeCouteur
7 days ago4 min read
4 views
0 comments
When the Halls Fall Silent: The rise and fall of veterinary conferences (#345)
There was a time, not long ago, when the annual veterinary conference was the heart and soul of the profession. Â Names like BSAVA , NAVC...
RIck LeCouteur
Jun 83 min read
25 views
0 comments
Speaking Truth to Power: A lesson from Cassius and Murrow (#344)
Cassius  (the younger man pointing) and  Brutus  (the older man listening) from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar . In the winter of 1954,...
RIck LeCouteur
Jun 72 min read
38 views
0 comments
Speak Up, Even When It’s Risky: Why challenging power matters (#343)
There’s a quiet courage in standing up, not just for yourself, but for what’s right. Especially when the person you’re standing up to has...
RIck LeCouteur
Jun 74 min read
55 views
0 comments
The World Is Waiting: Turn the Page (#342)
Saint Augustine , philosopher, theologian, and one of the towering intellects of the early Christian church, left behind many timeless...
RIck LeCouteur
Jun 62 min read
7 views
0 comments
For Vets Only: Things we never say out loud (#341)
You know the look. The one you give your nurse across the room when the dog starts crashing. The look that says, “Get the crash cart -...
RIck LeCouteur
Jun 52 min read
236 views
1 comment
To Younger Vets: Don’t mistake the growl for bitterness (#340)
A colleague recently challenged me, good-naturedly I think, that I was starting to sound like a grumpy old retired vet , always going on...
RIck LeCouteur
Jun 53 min read
202 views
0 comments
Dropping the GRE for Vet School Admissions: Equity Boost or Quality Risk? (#339)
In recent years, many veterinary schools across the United States have dropped the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Â as a requirement...
RIck LeCouteur
Jun 43 min read
6 views
0 comments
BSAVA Bows Out: But what happens to belonging? (#338)
After 68 years, the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has announced that its 2025 Congress will be its last. Â Once a...
RIck LeCouteur
Jun 43 min read
243 views
0 comments
The Carolina Parakeet: A curious extinction (#337)
The once-abundant wild parrots vanished mysteriously in the early 20th century. Â Now scientists are closer to solving their...
RIck LeCouteur
Jun 46 min read
3 views
0 comments
Right Lane Ends: A Warning for Veterinary Medicine (#336)
Somewhere on a lonely stretch of asphalt, I saw a mangled guide rail twisted like a wound. Â Â Among the debris was a fractured road sign,...
RIck LeCouteur
Jun 32 min read
547 views
0 comments
Academic Leadership in Vet Med: Public Service or Private Profit? (#335)
In an era when public trust in institutions is eroding, the lines between service and self-interest grow increasingly difficult to...
RIck LeCouteur
Jun 13 min read
83 views
0 comments
Deans, Dollars, and Divided Duties: The ethics of academic leadership on corporate boards (#334)
In academia, integrity and transparency aren’t just ideals. They're the foundation of public trust. But when university leaders step into...
RIck LeCouteur
May 313 min read
43 views
0 comments
In Search of Integrity: A reflection on modern veterinary medicine (#333)
Are ethics, honesty, and integrity old school in Veterinary Medicine? The Quiet Cost of Conflicts of Interest and Commitment  Once upon...
RIck LeCouteur
May 302 min read
154 views
0 comments
Public Office, Private Interests: A quiet reckoning in veterinary medicine (#332)
The evolving relationship between veterinary schools and corporate animal health companies raises important questions about  integrity , ...
RIck LeCouteur
May 294 min read
165 views
0 comments
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