Mobile Veterinary Clinic Launches at HSSW

Last week, we welcomed our first clients to the Sandra Richardson Miller Mobile Veterinary Clinic. This new program - the first of its kind in our community - provides low-cost, subsidized spay/neuter and wellness care for the pets of income qualifying families and targeted wellness care for pets of families who are unhoused or in transitional housing. 

At the core of the program is a simple goal: keeping people and pets together.

In our community and throughout the country, families who lack access to affordable pet care struggle to provide the basic care their pets need. For some families, the only option to get their pet the medical care it needs is to surrender it to the shelter. When we can reach those families and provide the care their pet needs, we can help keep pets out of the shelter and home with their family where they belong.

The Mobile Veterinary Clinic - known as the MVC to HSSW staff - is a 33-foot RV equipped with kennels, exam space, two surgery tables, and provides full medical and surgical functionality. It is supported by a dedicated medical team including a veterinarian, certified veterinary technician, and veterinary assistant.

The MVC will operate four days a week (Wednesday through Saturday) at locations throughout Southwest Washington. A typical week for the MVC includes two days of spay/neuter for cats (an expansion of our Spay & Save program) and one day of wellness care for pets of qualifying families. The fourth day provides targeted wellness care for pets of families who are unhoused or in transitional housing. The program will start by providing spay/neuter for cats and wellness care including vaccinations, microchips, preventative care, and more for both cats and dogs.

“There is a clear need for these services in our community and the Mobile Veterinary Clinic allows us to support families in a new way,” says Andrea Bruno, HSSW President. “Our goal is to create more accessible services and invest in programs that will help keep people and pets together and animals out of the shelter. The Mobile Veterinary Clinic will make an immediate impact for families and ensure everyone has the opportunity to welcome a pet into their family.”

The Mobile Veterinary Clinic currently operates at HSSW and two other locations: Umpqua Bank at 8015 NE Highway 99 in Hazel Dell, and ilani at 1 Cowlitz Way in Ridgefield. The MVC will eventually expand its services to include four partner sites throughout Southwest Washington. 

The Mobile Veterinary Clinic is already making a difference for families in our community; in its first week alone it served 27 pets! And the MVC is just one of the ways we are investing in programs and services that support pets and people in our region. Because when we can make an impact upstream and provide solutions that prevent pets from needing to enter the shelter, we will make even greater strides toward our vision of a community where everyone loves and cares for animals.

To learn more about the Mobile Veterinary Clinic services, how to qualify, and make an appointment, visit hssw.org/mvc.

Mobile Veterinary Clinic

PS - Our friends at The Columbian joined us for the MVC's first public Wellness Clinic - check out the story here. 

From Lost to Found

Every day at HSSW, adoptable pets find loving homes. It's a special feeling when we can help connect a family with their perfect new puppy, dog, cat, kitten, or rabbit. But on the other side of our building in our Admissions Department, there's a whole different kind of happy connection occurring when a worried family is reunited with their lost pet. 

A missing pet is a stressful time for pet owners. We worry about their safety, spend hours searching for them, and scroll endlessly through local social media groups hoping someone has found them. And during the summer months as we open our windows for a warm breeze or spend more time outside with our pets (don't get us started on 4th of July fireworks...), there are even more opportunities to become separated from our pets. It's important to be prepared in the event you're separated from your furry friend - here's what you need to know about lost and found pet resources in our community. 

If you Lost a Pet

Complete a lost pet report right away. Our team will help keep an eye out for any pets that might match the description and photos you provide. But don't stop there - many pets are reunited every day in our community without having ever entered the shelter. Neighbors, social media groups, and community members help connect a lost pet with their family, too. 

If your pet goes missing

• Notify your neighbors that your pet is missing – ask them to check their garage, shed, under their porch, etc.
• Utilize local social media. Lost and found Facebook groups, Craigslist, and the NextDoor app are excellent ways to help spread the word. Active Facebook groups in our community include: SW Washington Lost & Found Pets and Lost & Found Pets of Vancouver, WA among others. 
• Visit I Paw'd it Forward for more lost pet resources and to connect with their active community of animal lovers who help reconnect lost pets with their families.
• Register with Petco Love Lost. HSSW is a registered partner with Petco Love Lost. Click ‘I Lost a Pet’, upload your pet’s picture, and Petco Love Lost will search found reports which will include animals in our care.
• Download a Lost Pet Poster to post around your neighborhood. Please be as detailed and descriptive as possible and include a photo of your pet.
• Notify veterinary offices in your area. Ask them if they receive lost/stray pets in their clinic.
• Make sure your contact information on your pet’s microchip is current. Adding a secondary contact and email address can help ensure you are reached when your pet is located.

If you Find a Lost Pet

It's important to report found pets immediately. Not only is their family worried about them, they could be dependent on medication, special food, or other treatments. Timely reporting is essential. 

• Email [email protected] with questions or bring the animal to the shelter during regular business hours. 
• Complete a Found Pet Report so our staff can keep the details on file. Doing so will help us provide information to families calling us to search for their lost pet. You may choose to keep the animal at your home while still looking for the owner, but you are expected to report the pet as lost.
• Utilize local social media. Lost and found Facebook groups, Craigslist, and the NextDoor app are excellent ways to help spread the word.
• Have the animal scanned for a microchip. You can do this at the Humane Society or your local vet. If a microchip is found, the owner can be contacted immediately.
• Notify your neighbors. They may have information that can help. 
• Post a Found Pet Poster in the area where you found the animal.

Keeping a Lost Pet Safe

Our pets can be escape artists. And even the most prepared family may find themselves searching for a lost pet. A few important measures can help to find a lost pet and give you peace of mind if they wander. 

• Microchip your pet. A microchip acts as an added insurance policy and will help reunite lost animals with their owners, even if the animal somehow slips their collar. At HSSW, all animals are microchipped before adoption. Microchip services can be obtained at your family vet or in our community at clinics with Good Neighbor Vet. 
• Have your pet wear a collar, ID, and license. This ensures that your pet can be traced back and returned to you.
• As a licensing agent for Clark County, our staff is required to issue a license to any unlicensed animal being redeemed at our shelter. License your pet.
• Spay/neuter your pet. Neutering helps to reduce a pet's instinct to roam and helps solve the overpopulation problem.
• Keep cats indoors. Make sure your cat stays inside unless on a harness/leash or in a supervised area.
• Fence your yard if practical. Make sure when your dog is outside it is in a fenced yard or on a leash.

When in Doubt, Reach Out

Our admissions team is here to help every day. And so far in 2024, more than 400 lost pets have been reunited with their family at HSSW! But we are only one of the many resources in our community helping lost and found pets every day.

If you have a question about a lost pet or think a pet listed on our website might be yours, let us know so we can help. And remember: while our team does their best to match pets in our care to the description of a lost pet, nobody knows your pet better than you do. If you're searching for your lost pet, come to the shelter in person and we'll walk through our lost and stray kennels with you. 

Learn more about lost and found pets and connect with more resources at the link below. 

Lost & Found Pets