I work with a nonprofit organization called Pro-Bone-O. We offer twice monthly, free veterinary clinics for pets of people who are homeless. We're all volunteers. Our local veterinarians volunteer their Sunday mornings, and so do the Oregon State University veterinary students who travel 45 miles to act as technicians for our clinics. All our medications, equipment and the pet food we distribute are donations.
We give their pets vaccinations, we treat worms, fleas, ticks, the doctor can treat infections and minor wounds.
We also give away pet supplies, collars, leashes and the lovely dog sweaters a volunteer knits.
When their pets don't need veterinary treatment they can come and get food. We have dog and cat food and believe it or not, we often have rabbit and guinea pig food for the very few who have these kinds of pets!
Our clients gather at 8 AM to wait hours, outside in a parking lot, in every kind of weather, for their turn to see the doctor or the technicians. The pets are wonderfully socialized, cats and dogs mingle and fights are rare. As our clients leave the building they bless us, thank us and sometimes I get a hug!
It's a long day and I'm always tired by the end, but you can't keep me away.
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