The costs of veterinary care in the US is up 9% from last yearbut in some parts of the country, the cost of animal care is not the biggest obstacle: It is the search for a veterinarian.
Across the Navajo Nation’s 27,000 square miles spread across three Western states, there is a health care crisis for animals living in the rural desert. There are an estimated 500,000 dogs and cats in the area, many free-roaming, but only three veterinarians to care for them all.
The Banfield Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to bringing veterinary care to all pets using grants and the Banfield Pet Hospital, which operates veterinary clinics throughout the US and in several countries. It has awarded $19 million in grants over the past seven years to help community groups across the country purchase mobile care units and provide services to animals in need. Since 2021, $1.3 million has gone to help pets in Native American communities in 11 states.
To help provide that care, volunteers from the Parker Project, a mobile veterinary clinic serving the Navajo Nation area, and Banfield Pet Hospital, make regular trips to do door-to-door checks. pets, offering vaccinations. They also hold regular pop-up medical clinics that treat animals and spay and neuter about 7,500 pets a year.
Some veterinarians, such as Dr. Chicago-based Katie Hayward uses her vacation time to make time for volunteer work. He told “CBS Saturday Morning” that he recently treated a dog, Minnie, who “had bad contact with a car tire” that resulted in an eye injury.
“I made a promise to her owners that we would clean out that eye socket and make her face, you know, happy and beautiful again,” Hayward said. “I saw all kinds of happy young dogs. I saw adult animals that just needed vaccinations. And I saw really kind, fun to work with our owners and locals.”
Across the country, there are signs of a veterinary shortage. Costs are rising, and some estimates say the US could be short 24,000 vets by 2030. In northeastern Arizona, there is a veterinarian for local animals, but they only have limited hours. . Anyone needing help outside of those hours would have to drive several hours to Flagstaff or St. George for a vet.
“It’s a long drive, and I don’t know if it’s worth it,” said Iton Redking, who lives in the area with his family, four dogs and a cat, and said that every time he hears a pop -up clinic was being held, he took his dogs to get them vaccinated.
“But at the same time, you know, dogs and cats have been in your family for a long time. They love you and we love them.”
Lacey Frame, a licensed veterinary tech who manages the Banfield Foundation’s field clinics, said she used all of her vacation time last year to volunteer.
“Coming out here, they, you know, they don’t have access to that care,” Frame said. “Being able to use my skills and my 17 years of experience to help make a difference for pets that would otherwise not be cared for has been invaluable to me.”
