People love their pets like family — regardless of how much money they have to spend on them. So, what happens when the dog or cat needs lifesaving care? It can lead to tough decisions, particularly in the current economy.
There is some help out there.
Nonprofit organizations in Nevada work to provide lower cost pet care to owners. They often focus on preventative services to intervene and minimize complications early on. The Animal Foundation, Southern Nevada’s main public pet shelter offers vaccinations and microchipping. The Nevada Humane Society in Reno and Las Vegas expand on those services, providing low-cost spaying and neutering. And the SPCAs in both Northern and Southern Nevada also have programs to help cover veterinary expenses for pet owners who can’t afford them.
Still, leaders of these organizations say, there isn’t enough financial assistance to meet the need, especially when it comes to critical care.
It’s that situation that led veterinarian David Espinosa to recently form Majestic Park Animal Care, a nonprofit that helps people pay for the services their pets need. Espinosa is a veterinarian and co-owner, with Alex Zamora, of Majestic Park Animal Hospital and Vegas Valley Pet Hospital.
"There are countless cases of people on fixed income not able to go through the treatments, much less the follow-up care," Espinosa said. "This foundation comes in and helps to not only cover the exam, but the diagnostics and treatments, and all the necessary follow-up care for these poor patients."
While clinics, like Majestic Park Animal Hospital, can strive to provide free and low-cost services, the demand remains high. Rachel Bergren is the executive director of Heaven Can Wait Animal Society, a nonprofit that partners with similar animal welfare groups in the Las Vegas Valley to minimize euthanasia from overpopulation. She encourages pet owners to seek financially assisted care for their furry friends.
"There are more affordable resources out there, and it's just a matter of being patient and picking up the phone [or] looking online," Bergren said. "You can call us as well, or reach out to us, and we can help and make some of those referrals."
Espinosa estimates that the Majestic Park Animal Care nonprofit has already paid $100,000 for highly specialized services, from surgeries to chemotherapy, for pets at Majestic Park Animal Hospital. But as affordability remains an obstacle for many to providing the necessary pet care, Espinosa hopes the foundation can continue to raise the money necessary to appropriately care for animal companions.
"There's so much more need out there, from that first injection to week 24 of your chemotherapy treatment. We hope to not only surpass that amount, but hopefully double that. And the future is the limit," he said.
Guests: Rachel Bergren, executive director of Heaven Can Wait Society; David Espinosa, co-owner of Majestic Park Animal Hospital and Vegas Valley Pet Hospital
