General News
23 May, 2024
Paw-some project
Next week, Avoca residents will have access to essential services for their furry friends at their doorstep thanks to mobile veterinary service, The Vet Project. Despite launching only three months ago, founders Dr Christina Fenske, Allie Small and...
Next week, Avoca residents will have access to essential services for their furry friends at their doorstep thanks to mobile veterinary service, The Vet Project.
Despite launching only three months ago, founders Dr Christina Fenske, Allie Small and Lisa Barden have used their combined 30 years experience in animal welfare to desex over 550 dogs and cats across regional Victoria.
Ms Small said the trio started the company to help cats and dogs facing impoundment or euthanization.
“We have all worked in animal shelters pretty much our entire lives as vets and nurses and in that time we noticed there was no significant reduction in the number of animals coming through the doors,” she said.
“We are at a real crisis point for animal shelters and rescue organisations at the moment where everyone is too full, people can’t take on more animals and are struggling to rehome animals.
“We are trying to help rescue organisations, animal shelters and the local community to manage that problem by allowing people to access desexing at an affordable rate.”
Avoca currently doesn’t have a vet, with the closest facility being Maryborough Veterinary Practice, around 20 minutes away.
Ms Small said it was important to the mobile vet to provide their affordable services to regional towns who have limited access to pet care.
“We have noticed that ever since COVID-19, the veterinary industry has really stepped up in terms of paying their staff more appropriately for their skill set, but as a result of that the cost of healthcare for animals has gone up,” she said.
“Setting up in one spot you are only targeting a set area, people will only travel a certain distance to their vet and we really wanted to target communities in regional Victoria that don’t have immediate access to a vet clinic.”
The Vet Project will be in Avoca on Thursday, May 30 at the Senior Citizens Centre at 186 High Street. The pre paid service requires booking for desexing, free microchip and optional vaccination as well as flea and worm treatment.
Ms Small said she is hopeful to hear the community’s response to the service as the company looks to book future dates.
“We are constantly booking in new locations and if we get a really good response to areas like Avoca we would love to come back,” she said.
“Even if people can’t book in with us at this time, or we haven’t visited your town, we would love to get an email from you to let us know people are interested in our services and where we can plan for the future.”
For more information and to book, visit thevetproject.com.au