Please don’t doubt how much of an impact you can make one day, in one way. On a lovely Sunday morning several weeks ago, in the middle of Gilbert Lindsay Park, 163 dogs and a few cats were vaccinated, microchipped, given flea and tick medication, and examined by volunteer vets, all at one of our free clinics.

We’ve been doing regular clinics at this park since June of 2015, and have literally watched puppies grow into healthy dogs before our eyes. Puppies who had come to our first clinics of the year are now spayed/neutered and fully vaccinated. For many of the families we have served, learning about the importance of vaccines as well as getting their dog microchipped and sterilized, is the beginning of setting their pets on the right path for life.

This clinic also brought about many new cases. New puppies were dewormed for the first time, and new clients got to know us. Some people came with specific health care concerns, like Maria who brought her two senior Chihuahuas, both already spayed/neutered and vaccinated, but who had problems chewing their food. After a volunteer vet examined their teeth, he discovered severe placque build up and several painful, rotting teeth. Maria knew her dogs needed dental care, but spending the majority of her income on rent and barely getting by, there was never money left over for her dogs to get it. We find this type of situation happens often. People know their pets need to see a vet, and yet they can’t afford it. It’s not that they don’t care; it’s that they don’t know where to find free or low costs resources, and in many cases, the options don’t exist. We work hard to be the resource they’ve been looking for. We work hard to be the option they need.

For Maria, we paid to have both of her dogs’ mouths cleaned and any bad teeth pulled. The Chihuahuas were also given a full senior blood panel. Maria was over the moon grateful for the assistance, but we were over the moon grateful, too. After all, we got to provide it. We got to be a part of offering a necessary service, to fill a gap that’s been building for way too long. A gap that has hurt our communities, people and animals alike. A gap that, simply put, stems from lack of support. At any point, it could be any of us needing that support. Wouldn’t you appreciate it if it were you?

We continue to find people who want to do the right thing but simply cannot or do not know how. Every clinic and every day, in one way or another, we intend to help narrow this gap which doesn’t have to exist at all. We intend to witness as many more animals grow into healthy pets in their happy homes.

On Sunday, we ran another free dog clinic, this time for the families with dogs living in 90011, an area much like Watts where our last clinic was located.  Lots of families waked to Gilbert Lindsay Park to get their dogs spayed/neutered, vaccinated and micro chipped.  From 9Am to 11Am the SCVMA volunteer veterinarians vaccinated and micro chipped over 100 dogs and puppies.

This is the second event that they have come out to and donated their time.  For many of our families, this is the first time their pet has been examined by a veterinarian.  For many, this was their dogs first set of vaccines.

Thanks to all of you who donated Frontline on our Amazon Wish List, we were able to apply flea + tick treatment to most all of the dogs.  Many families came for the vaccines only but when given the benefits of spay/neuter, agreed to get their dogs done, all free of charge.  Others made appointments for a future date, the mobile clinic is at the park twice a month.  Others needed more time to think about it and that’s OK.  We believe that many families never get accurate information about pet care and when given resources, they chose to spay/neuter their family pets.

All puppies were wormed and can come back next month to get their next set of vaccines, free of charge.  We met many families who came with the whole family, mom, dad, the children, even grandma and grandpa, with two, three, as many as four and five dogs.  We set no limit of pets that one family could bring to the clinic.  We welcomed everyone.

Every family went home with a bag of dog food, collars and leashes and more goodies.  We want to thank the staff at Gilbert Lindsay Park for welcoming us to their park.  We will back next month with plans to do three more clinics in 2015.