Driving Change: Bringing Preventative Veterinary Care to Our Community
At the Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County, we are dedicated to providing comprehensive care to every animal that comes through our doors. As one of the few open-admission shelters in the state, our facility is constantly full and often over capacity. We go above and beyond to meet the needs of the pets in our care, despite limited resources.
Pets like Timber, who arrive suffering from life-threatening yet preventable illnesses such as canine parvovirus, remind us of the importance of vaccines. However, we must address the root cause of why so many animals like him end up at our shelter in desperate need of emergency care: limited access to basic veterinary services.
In the past three years, we have experienced an 18.1% increase in animal intake, with over 1,400 additional pets needing comprehensive veterinary care in 2023 alone. Appointment waitlists at local clinics can stretch up to six months, making it difficult for many pet owners to access essential spay/neuter and wellness services. This lack of access often leads to preventable illnesses and unwanted litters, contributing to the growing number of animals in our shelter.
Rolling Out a Solution: Our Mobile Veterinary Unit
To tackle these challenges, we’re launching a Mobile Veterinary Unit. This state-of-the-art vehicle will help us reach more owned pets in the community with essential wellness services, including vaccinations, parasite prevention, and microchipping. Currently, our monthly Vaccine and Wellness Clinics are held under tents in our shelter’s parking lot, which limits our capacity and effectiveness. The Mobile Veterinary Unit will allow us to conduct these clinics indoors in a sterile and temperature-regulated environment, ensuring a safer and more comfortable experience for pets and their owners.
By bringing veterinary care directly to communities that need it most, the Mobile Veterinary Unit will help prevent illnesses and reduce the number of animals entering our shelter. By creating access to these services, we can keep pets healthy, with their families, and out of the shelter.
Join Us in Driving Change
Our Mobile Veterinary Unit is a vital step forward into addressing the challenges our community faces in accessing essential veterinary care. We need your help to get this vehicle on the road and bring these vital services to those who need them most.
With your support, our Mobile Veterinary Unit can provide lifesaving vaccinations and wellness services to countless pets in our community, helping to keep them out of the shelter and with their loving families.
Donate today, and together, we can create a healthier, happier future for pets and the people who love them.
