New Low-Cost Veterinary Clinic to Open in Osceola County Thanks to Unique Partnership
Published on: Jan 12, 2021
PR21-06
Osceola County, Florida – Osceola County Animal Services, Protectors of Companion Animals, dba, SNiP-it of Central Florida, and the Osceola County School District are teaming up to open a low-cost veterinary clinic for under-resourced communities in Osceola County. The clinic, located at Harmony High School (3601 Arthur J. Gallagher Blvd, St. Cloud, FL 34771), will be made possible through a PetSmart Charities grant of $150,000 awarded to Osceola County to help purchase much needed equipment and offset operational costs.
Osceola County Animal Services receives thousands of animals into its shelter each year and many of these pets have owners who cannot afford the cost of basic pet care. Access to this new veterinary clinic will be limited to pet owners who are living at or near the poverty level based on the most current data.
Protectors of Companion Animals, Inc. a 501(c) 3 non-profit, with the support of Osceola County Animal Services, opened SNiP-it of Central Florida, a high volume and quality, low cost spay/neuter animal clinic in August 2016. To date they have performed over 24,000 surgeries.
The goal of the partnership between the County, Protectors of Companion Animals, the School District, and PetSmart Charities is to offer services to pet owners and their pets that would not otherwise be accessible. The clinic will operate part-time, three days per week. The clinic will not be in competition with other local veterinary practitioners, as there will be income requirements in order for residents to access the low-cost services.
“This low-cost veterinary clinic is a win for everyone involved,†said District 5 Osceola Commissioner Ricky Booth. “Pet owners win because they will now have options for low cost services. The County wins as this will help reduce the number of pets relinquished by owners who truly love their pets, but simply cannot afford veterinary care. And our students win with this unique, valued opportunity for Harmony High School.â€
The new clinic will help Harmony High School students going through the school’s Veterinary Assistant Certification program. It is a 4-year program that requires each student to complete 500 hours of hands-on, animal-related training. The school boasts a large clinic complete with examination tables, anesthetic machines, surgical packs and other equipment. Unfortunately, the clinic has gone mostly unused, making it difficult for students to obtain their certification. Transitioning the clinic into a low-cost services one, will help change that. The clinic is targeted to open in June 2021.
“The Osceola County School Board and I remain extremely proud that our schools remain a focal point for community involvement and partnerships in Osceola County,†said Osceola School District Superintendent Dr. Debra Pace. “We have seen time and time again that when schools, a supportive local government entity like Osceola County, and an innovative business partner such as PetSmart Charities come together, great things can happen in the lives of children, families, and residents.â€
“We are thrilled to support this initiative that will remove barriers to veterinary care,†said Aimee Gilbreath, president of PetSmart Charities. “The collaborative effort between Osceola County Animal Services and Harmony High School will not only provide invaluable training to students but also necessary health and wellness services to community pets that may not otherwise receive the care they need.â€
Since 1994, through its partnership with nearly 4,000 humane societies, SPCAs and pet rescues across North America, PetSmart Charities has helped more than 9.5 million pets to find loving homes via its in-store adoption program in over 1,650 PetSmart® stores. The leading funder of animal welfare has also donated nearly $430 million, to positively impact communities, to connect people and pets, to help preserve families and to improve access to veterinary care through initiatives like this with Osceola County Animal Services.
For more information, please visit https://www.osceolacountypets.com/petsmartcharities
Nueva ClÃnica Veterinaria de Bajo Costo Abrirá en el Condado Osceola Gracias a una Asociación Única
Condado Osceola, Florida – Servicios para Animales del Condado Osceola, Protectors of Companion Animals, dba, SNiP-it de Florida Central y el Distrito Escolar del Condado Osceola se están uniendo para abrir una clÃnica veterinaria de bajo costo para comunidades de escasos recursos en el Condado Osceola. La clÃnica, ubicada en Harmony High School (3601 Arthur J. Gallagher Blvd., St. Cloud, FL 34771), será posible gracias a una subvención de PetSmart Charities de $150,000 otorgada al Condado Osceola para ayudar a comprar el equipo que tanto se necesita y compensar los costos operativos.
El Departamento de Servicios para Animales del Condado Osceola recibe miles de animales cada año y muchas de estas mascotas tienen dueños que no pueden pagar el costo de su cuidado básico. El acceso a esta nueva clÃnica veterinaria estará limitado a los dueños de mascotas que vivan en o cerca del nivel de pobreza según los datos más recientes.
Protectors of Companion Animals, Inc., una organización sin fines de lucro 501 (c) 3, con el apoyo de Servicios para Animales del Condado Osceola, abrió SNiP-it de Florida Central, una clÃnica de alto volumen y calidad de bajo costo de esterilización/castración de animales en agosto de 2016. Hasta la fecha se han realizado más de 24,000 cirugÃas.
El objetivo de la asociación entre el Condado, Protectors of Companion Animals, el Distrito Escolar y PetSmart Charities es ofrecer servicios a los dueños de mascotas y sus mascotas que de otra manera no serÃan accesibles. La clÃnica funcionará a tiempo parcial, tres dÃas a la semana. La clÃnica no competirá con otros veterinarios locales, ya que habrá requisitos de ingresos para que los residentes accedan a los servicios de bajo costo.
“Esta clÃnica veterinaria de bajo costo es una victoria para todos los involucrados,†dijo Ricky Booth, Comisionado de Osceola del Distrito 5. “Los dueños de mascotas ganan porque ahora tendrán opciones de servicios de bajo costo. El Condado gana ya que esto ayudará a reducir el número de mascotas renunciadas por los dueños que realmente aman a sus mascotas, pero no pueden pagar el cuidado veterinario, y nuestros estudiantes ganan con esta oportunidad única y valiosa para Harmony High School.â€
La nueva clÃnica ayudará a los estudiantes de Harmony High School a pasar por el programa de Certificación de Asistente Veterinario de la escuela. Es un programa de cuatro años que requiere que cada estudiante complete 500 horas de entrenamiento práctico relacionado con animales. La escuela cuenta con una gran clÃnica completa con mesas de exploración, máquinas de anestesia, paquetes quirúrgicos y otros equipos. Desafortunadamente, la clÃnica no se ha utilizado en su mayorÃa, lo que hace difÃcil que los estudiantes obtengan su certificación. La transición de la clÃnica a una de servicios de bajo costo ayudará a cambiar eso. Está previsto que la clÃnica abra en junio de 2021.
"La Junta Escolar del Condado Osceola y yo estamos extremadamente orgullosos de que nuestras escuelas sigan siendo un punto focal para la participación de la comunidad y asociaciones en el Condado Osceola," dijo la Superintendente del Distrito Escolar de Osceola, Dra. Debra Pace. "Hemos visto una y otra vez que cuando las escuelas, una entidad gubernamental local de apoyo como el Condado Osceola, y un socio empresarial innovador como PetSmart Charities se unen, pueden ocurrir grandes cosas en las vidas de los niños, las familias y los residentes."
“Estamos encantados de apoyar esta iniciativa que eliminará las barreras a la atención veterinaria,†dijo Aimee Gilbreath, Presidenta de PetSmart Charities. “El esfuerzo de colaboración entre los Servicios para Animales del Condado Osceola y Harmony High School no solo brindará una capacitación invaluable a los estudiantes, sino también los servicios de salud y bienestar necesarios para las mascotas de la comunidad que de otra manera no recibirÃan la atención que necesitan.â€
Desde 1994, a través de su asociación con casi 4,000 sociedades humanitarias, SPCA y rescates de mascotas en América del Norte, PetSmart Charities ha ayudado a más de 9.5 millones de mascotas a encontrar hogares amorosos a través de su programa de adopción en más de 1,650 tiendas PetSmart®. El principal financiador del bienestar de animales también ha donado casi $430 millones para impactar positivamente las comunidades, conectar personas y mascotas, ayudar a preservar a las familias y mejorar el acceso a la atención veterinaria a través de iniciativas como esta con los Servicios para Animales del Condado Osceola.
Para más información por favor visite https://www.osceolacountypets.com/petsmartcharities
About Osceola County Animal Services
Our mission is to ensure a safe and humane community for pets and people. Towards that end, we operate the only animal shelter in Osceola County, receiving over 5,000 animals per year. We offer adoptions, return to owner, lost/found pets, pet retention, pet licensing, and other services. We are also responsible for enforcement of the Osceola County Animal code and animal statutes including animal cruelty and neglect. www.osceolacountypets.com
About PetSmart Charities®
PetSmart Charities, Inc. is committed to finding lifelong, loving homes for all pets by supporting programs and thought leadership that bring people and pets together. Through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart® stores across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, PetSmart Charities helps to find forever homes and families for nearly 600,000 shelter pets each year. PetSmart Charities also provides grant funding to nonprofits aligned with its mission. Each year, millions of generous PetSmart shoppers help pets in need by donating to PetSmart Charities using the PIN pads at checkout registers inside PetSmart stores. In turn, PetSmart Charities efficiently uses more than 90 cents of every dollar donated to fulfill its role as the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, granting nearly $430 million since its inception in 1994. Independent from PetSmart Inc., PetSmart Charities is a 501(c)(3) organization that has received the Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator, a third-party organization that reports on the effectiveness, accountability and transparency of nonprofits, for the past 17 years in a row – placing it among the top one percent of charities rated by this organization. To learn more visit www.petsmartcharities.org.
Follow PetSmart Charities on Twitter: @PetSmartChariTs
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