SWFL animal clinics step up to help community members and their pets

Thousands of people throughout Southwest Florida are out of work. With a lack of money, it might seem impossible to front the bill for a family pet’s veterinarian visit. We spoke to those running local clinics who are stepping up to help out community members and their pets during the pandemic.

These days, veterinarian Lori Conde is getting a lot of visits from furry friends.

“As the economy goes down, people, they want to take care of their pets,” Conde said. “But they need an affordable option.”

That’s why she’s setting up shop all over Southwest Florida.

“At this time, a lot of people are not doing vaccinations,” Conde said. “They’re only trying to see people that are in a dire emergency situation, so this is a way that you can keep your dog going to daycare, boarding with their appropriate vaccinations.”

It’s a big benefit for Dia Pileta. She and her mother recently adopted their puppies.

“They are about 11 weeks, but I haven’t been able to vaccinate because everybody’s closed,” Pileta said. “Working seven days a week, morning, afternoon, night, this is very convenient for me.”

At Cape Coral Animal Shelter, Executive Director Liz McCauley and her staff are also offering low-cost services.

“The biggest thing we’re seeing is people are out of work,” McCauley said. “A lot of people come to these clinics. They have to decide whether they want to go to the vet at all, and so this is a nice option for them.”

Cape Coral Animal Shelter’s vet clinic is open noon to 5 p.m. Monday. Click here for our story with more information.

“The last thing we want to do is see people give up their animals,” McCauley said.