Community Pet Clinic

On Sunday September 12th, with the volunteer veterinarians and vet techs from the SCVMA, the dedicated DDR clinic volunteers and our friends at Spay4LA, we were able to provide vaccinations, microchips, deworming, flea & tick medication (donation from Frontline) as well as wellness exams, and spay and neuter services to 247 pets.  The 159 dogs and 50 cats and 38 spay & neuter surgeries were provided free of charge for families that are experiencing homelessness, living in transition, receiving government support, and low income pet owners, who are struggling to care for their pets’ health.   

This was our 13th drive thru pet clinic, where all pets have a reservation, which enables our counselors to connect with pet owners before the clinic, in a more meaningful way.  It’s through those first conversations that we learn about the potential addition needs and/or challenges that they are facing. Although this was a drive thru clinic, we accepted all the walk-ups who rode the bus, pushed a cart or stroller, rode their bike, took whatever measures necessary to get their pet to our clinic!

For some families, who are already familiar with our services, we are able to check in, give booster vaccines, and let them know how DDR has expanded.  In fact, it’s through our clients, who refer their friends, family members, and neighbors that we are able to connect to new clients.  As with every clinic, we see a lot of puppies and kittens, who receive their first veterinary exam, vaccination, and deworming, while volunteers discuss pet food, grooming, and training to insure that these little pets start their lives off in a positive direction that includes spay and neuter when they are old enough.

Some of the pets that come to our clinic are too sick to receive services, such as these three kittens who had an upper respiratory infection. The family who found the kittens in their backyard did not know where to turn or what to do before connecting with one of our counselors.  Once the kittens are healthy, they will all be spayed and neutered and available to adopt. Never turning someone away without resources and support, the kittens were examined and treated at our monthly mobile veterinary clinic.

The Monday, that follows every clinic, we have a mobile veterinarian park at our Pet Support Space office on West Florence in South Los Angeles, in order to provide free to low cost veterinary care that we could not provide at the drive thru clinic.  The mobile hospital even provides spay and neuter, dentistry, tumor removal and humane euthanasia for terminally ill, suffering, senior pets.  Here are some of the pets who we treated at our mobile clinic on Monday Sept. 13th

This sweet 8 year old male was turned away on Sunday at the mobile clinic for neuter surgery due to his age.  A DDR counselor scheduled an appointment the following day, where he received blood work to make sure he was healthy enough for surgery, he was neutered and had his teeth cleaned and some pulled that were infected.

A gentle senior dog, who was brought to our Pet Support Space because his family did not want to see him suffer anymore, was humanely euthanized, while his family could be present.  The alternative, for many low income families who have a terminally ill pet but can’t afford to euthanize their pet, is to surrender their beloved cat or dog at a shelter.  No one should have to say their last good bye, to a pet that they have loved their whole life, at a shelter, just because they can’t afford the cost of veterinary care. Check out more photos from our drive thru clinic here https://www.dropbox.com/sh/viepu8mqy6os4ld/AACt8SWCqXwGu0fiwG-UOSIra?dl=0

 

Would you consider supporting our work by helping us reach our goal of raising $10,000 during the

Michelson Found Animals Saving Pets Challenge https://www.savingpetschallenge.org/organization/Downtown-Dog-Rescue

Your support enables us to continue to serve the more than 600 cats and dogs that we see through our free community clinics, Pet Support Space, and the Pet Resource Center for Skid Row. All of your donation goes to pay for life saving veterinary care, supplies such as vaccines and microchips, and more.

The pets, their families, our DDR counselors, kennel staff, and volunteers

THANK YOU in advance for helping us reach our goal!

If you would like to volunteer at a community clinic, please contact Lori@downtowndogrescue.org.

Our next clinic is Sunday October 10th.

2021-09-14T18:58:02+00:00
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