OJAI, Calif. – There is a shortage of veterinarians in the United States, and that can cause problems for pets.
A recent study by Vancouver, Washington-based Mars Veterinary estimates that by 2030, there could be 15,000 fewer veterinarians needed to care for pets nationwide.
These days, people often wait weeks, if not months, to see their pet after making an appointment.
This applies to both general and emergency care needs.
“Especially since COVID-19, I have never seen a situation where an emergency room has to turn people away. No,” said Dr. Christina Sisk of the Humane Society. Director of Veterinary Services, Ventura County, California.
Forty-seven states are facing some type of veterinarian shortage, and the high cost of veterinary school is not helping to solve this problem.
“Most veterans graduate with about $160,000 in student debt,” Sisk said.
“Once they graduate, they want to start paying off their loans, so they’ll look for more lucrative jobs in urban areas or elsewhere. Working for a municipal shelter or nonprofit organization isn’t as lucrative as private practice.”
Sisk was the only veterinarian at her Humane Society location for several years until last fall.
“Last fall, the board said, ‘We need to be more of a part of the solution, so let’s hopefully hire another vet,'” Ventura County Humane Society Executive Director Eric Knight said. .
The shelter also sends staff into the community to provide low-cost vaccinations for animals.
“When we talk about barriers to accessing veterinary care, the first thing that comes to mind is [is] Finance — that’s very important, but we’re also talking about geography,” Knight said.
“We’re close to some large populations, but a little further away from others,” he also said.
The Humane Society says educating communities that spaying and neutering their pets can be part of the solution can reduce demand for veterinary services.
