General News
27 May, 2025
Not-for-profit vet clinic opens its doors
Regional Community Vet Clinic (RCVC) has just opened it’s permanent home, securing long term operation of affordable veterinary services, thanks to a $530,000 investment from the State Government.
The purpose built practice officially opened at its Campbells Creek site on May 19, offering a range of services including desexing, vaccinations, health checks, dental care and minor lump removals, providing much-needed support to pet owners of Mount Alexander and surrounding shires doing it tough amid cost of living pressures.
With RCVC working since 2021 to establish the clinic, co-founder Robyn Slattery said she was relieved by its opening.
“It’s a little surreal, we have been working so hard for so long. We have done so much painting and gardening ourselves in the past few days. The phone has been going crazy,” she said.
Recognising the importance of companion animals to community health and wellbeing, RCVC’s aim is to reduce isolation and build social cohesion, while improving the lives of pets.
While operating the same as other local vet clinics, the practice won’t have the stresses of needing to make a profit.
“We are entirely run by volunteers, so therefore don’t have all of the overheads of wages and other aspects,” Ms Slattery said.
Despite there already being a demand, the clinic is currently only open by appointment on Fridays until more volunteer vets offer their time and skills.
“Currently open only one day a week, we are volunteers and our focus is mainly getting other vets who can possibly volunteer a day a month or however often they wish to do it, so we can have more days open at the clinic,” Ms Slattery said.
She said clinics like these also support other local vet practices and take pressure off other procedures due to an animal’s delayed treatment.
“Our local vets do an absolutely fantastic job of what they do, so what we are doing is focusing on servicing those who can’t even afford to go to our local vets,” Ms Slattery said.
“Most vet surgeons willingly tell you that they are faced with clients who have to make tough decision about affordability of treatments for their animals. The animal may go without treatment and be suffering unnecessarily, may have to be put down, or the animal could be surrendered to a pound.
“It’s not a good outcome for the animal and it’s not a good outcome for the owner, who is already suffering due to other pressures and situations. In some instances, their only friend is taken away from them.”
In addition to the physical clinic, RCVC will offer pop-up clinics in regional towns and will continue to hold up to six events annually throughout the year.
“We will still be doing our pop up de-sexing clinic, concentrating on coming to places like Maryborough and offering low cost desexing for cats, it’s part of our work that we think is really important and taking desexing to the communities that need it,” Ms Slattery said.
RCVC aims to prioritise the most vulnerable pet owners in the community, as the clinic is currently only servicing pet owners who are receiving a government support payment.
“People do need to understand that it is for the most in need. We are hoping that now, the other vets have got somewhere they will be able to refer to, so we can look after them and vets can feel happier that they aren’t having to refuse treatments on a financial basis, and they have us to turn to,” Ms Slattery said.
“It’s the people who are most in need, who are really desperate. Their animals have not had vet care for years, and have no family or social support to turn to and get assistance to access care for their pets, so our primary focus is those who are the most disadvantaged in the community.”
The clinic is currently open on Fridays by appointment between 9 am until 4:30 pm, at 4 Midland Highway, Campbells Creek.