James Lee holds his dog Minnie Lee at the Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh mobile clinic in Braddock on June 20, 2024. (Photo by Jess Daninhirsch/PublicSource)
Through a partnership between HARP and AHN that began last fall, dogs, cats and people have received medical services and resources in a mobile pop-up.
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Minnie Lee squirmed in her owner’s arms. The light-brown yorkie terrier mix received vaccinations on an unseasonably warm Thursday at a mobile health clinic parked for morning to afternoon in Braddock.
“I’m checking her out, making sure she’s healthy,” said James Lee, Minnie Lee’s five-month-old owner. “This is my baby.”
Lee traveled from the North Side to get her playful pup some much-needed medical treatment, including being microchipped. He is not alone.
Other participants sign up to go to bi-monthly, low-to-no-cost, traveling vet clinics — called MOVES or Medical, Outreach, Veterinary, Essential, Support. It was formed as a partnership between the Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh [HARP] and Allegheny Health Network [AHN] called the Humane Health Coalition.
A gray cat named Moonstone is described as “mischievous” by his owner. Coco Chanel, a tiny chocolate brown puppy, chases after a stuffed green toy when thrown on the gravel before obediently dragging it back to her owner.
Furry friends aren’t the only creatures served. The coalition also focuses on health care and support services for pet owners. The clinic focuses on helping individuals facing financial hardship and other social challenges, such as housing instability and limited access to care.
“We provide human care and HARP provides animal care,” said Dr. Elizabeth Cuevas, division chief for the AHN Center for Inclusion Health. “We bring those two populations together and try to get the people who really need help.”
![Small dog with a light tan coat wearing a pink harness, standing on a wooden floor, looking at the camera with a strange expression.](https://i0.wp.com/www.publicsource.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/JD_20240620_HARPandAHNVetClinic-MirahDaninhirsch-06.jpg?resize=683%2C1024&ssl=1)
![A small brown dog in a black harness stands on the gravel.](https://i0.wp.com/www.publicsource.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/JD_20240620_HARPandAHNVetClinic-MirahDaninhirsch-02.jpg?resize=683%2C1024&ssl=1)
‘A testament to how great the need is’
The mobile clinic is parked outside The Hollander Project, a co-working space in Braddock run by For Good PGH, a group co-directed by Gisele Fetterman. Tents shaded the sidewalks and cold water sat on ice in coolers and in a dog bowl as the clinic served pets and people during a heat wave unlike a Pittsburgh one. seen in the last 30 years.
“I believe that addressing poverty, addressing food insecurity, all of this has to be a holistic approach,” said Fetterman, wife of US Sen. John Fetterman. “An event like this, working with, what some would say are very different organizations – HARP and AHN – that cater not only to their pets, but their parents is really innovative and different and brave and important.”
![A man works inside a mobile veterinary clinic with colorful cabinets and various medical equipment.](https://i0.wp.com/www.publicsource.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/JD_20240620_HARPandAHNVetClinic-MirahDaninhirsch-18.jpg?resize=780%2C520&ssl=1)
Inside the air-conditioned mobile clinic, housed in a mid-sized, white truck decorated with pictures of cats and dogs, pets are given exams, vaccinations, microchipping and spays/ neuter voucher to be used later in the rescue.
In a back room at The Hollander Project, tables are lined with items owners will grab such as Narcan, condoms, granola bars, water bottles and pamphlets. AHN caregivers speak with pet owners to discuss their health and social needs.
The mobile clinic made its public debut in September. Since then, the coalition has hosted more than a dozen mobile clinics, including one on June 20 in Braddock.
The history of the program goes back further than last fall. It was bred from the Street Dog Program dedicated to helping the pets of homeless people in Pittsburgh.
One day, while Kim Holmberg, a HARP board member, was listening to a presentation about the Street Dog Program, she suggested turning it into a mobile veterinary unit where they could handle more medical supplies instead of just carrying of totes around the city.
![A mobile veterinary clinic vehicle with pictures of pets parked next to a labeled building "to Hollander" under clear skies.](https://i0.wp.com/www.publicsource.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/JD_20240620_HARPandAHNVetClinic-MirahDaninhirsch-32.jpg?resize=780%2C520&ssl=1)
Kim’s husband, David Holmberg, president and chief executive officer of Highmark Health, acquired a mobile unit and then brought the health network on as a partner.
“A lot of times people will do for their pets what they wouldn’t do for themselves,” Kim said. “Feed them, they will make sure they are taken care of, but they will not take care of themselves. So, the fact that we can encourage owners to get their blood pressure checked or eye exams … It makes for a healthier community.”
‘Do you get that pet taken care of or do you take care of yourself?’
The clinics are quite full, Cuevas said.
“Definitely the number of people we see and pets we see continues to grow.”
The coalition is based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s “One Health” model of care, which recognizes the health of people is connected to the health of animals.
“There are other programs like this in the US,” Cuevas said. “But I don’t think it’s as common as we’d like. I don’t know of any other programs like this in Pittsburgh, so I think the fact that we’ve grown as quickly as we have is a testament to how great the need is.”
How do people learn about this program? So far, Cuevas said a lot of it is word of mouth along with some advertising through other local, community-based organizations and other AHN partnerships with other community members.
The coalition also has a project coordinator on the ground who signs people up for the clinics.
![A man in a pink shirt holds a gray tabby cat with a red collar and bell.](https://i0.wp.com/www.publicsource.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/JD_20240620_HARPandAHNVetClinic-MirahDaninhirsch-07.jpg?resize=780%2C520&ssl=1)
Pet health care can be expensive, Cuevas said. And, if one is experiencing financial issues, it can be a challenge to prioritize how to afford pet care while juggling other expenses.
“Do you get that pet taken care of or do you take care of yourself?” Cuevas said. “So a lot of times, the pet is the draw, really…It’s a wonderful opportunity to start looking at that person and say, ‘Hey, what are you doing for yourself? How can we help you?'”
Brianna Kaufman, assistant director of medical services, has helped with the Street Dog Program for about two years, and said when plans to brainstorm and get a mobile unit came up, she was on board.
“I’m on board because the more people you can help, the better, in my eyes.”
Stephanie Mirah is the audience growth and engagement producer at PublicSource. He can be reached at [email protected].
Jess Daninhirsch is a summer 2024 photojournalism intern at PublicSource. He can be reached at [email protected].
https://www.publicsource.org/pittsburgh-mobile-vet-clinic-harp-ahn-health-resources/