Free clinic fixes furry friends right up
VETERINARIANS: Paws for Hope serves low-income pet owners, providing basic care and follow-ups
St. Barnabas Anglican Church in New Westminster opened its doors Sunday to cats in arms and on leashes, and dogs in buggies who came for a free veterinary care clinic for low-income and homeless pet owners.
Shawn Llewellyn, veterinarian and board president at Paws for Hope, has been running the volunteer clinics for six years. The clinics are a way to care for those who love their pets, but can’t provide for them.
“We know that pets mean a great deal to the homeless and low income, and for those with mental health concerns, pets are often their only companion,” Llewellyn said.
“Pets can help them get through large barriers in society. We recognize that, and through Paws for Hope we can give back to those who need the help.”
Paws for Hope partners with community groups that work with homeless and low-income individuals to spread the word about the clinics, which provide basics such as shots, de-worming and claw-clipping for dogs and cats. They also hand out bags of food, leashes, collars and other donated pet accessories.
Paws for Hope is also there when more followup is required.
Carolyn Lemarchand attended with nine-year-old Yorkie Poo Sunny, who she called “my everything.”
Sunny follows her around the house, plays chase and sleeps by her bed each night. Lemarchand said Sunny has become a kind of therapist for the mentally ill and homeless she volunteers with.
“They just love her and it makes me feel so good in my heart that they accept her.” Sunny is blind due to glaucoma. “I’ve just learned she’s in pain,” Lemarchand said. “I don’t have the money to have her eye done.”
Melissa Stephens, a veterinarian on volunteer duty, reassured Lemarchand.
“We’re going to help that. She has a bit of glaucoma in her eye. She’s already blind. We are going to take that eye out so she isn’t in any pain. Paws for Hope is going to cover that.”
Paws for Hope tries to identify dogs and cats that need surgery or dental care, and sets aside a budget for those surgeries to be provided at a later date.
Kathy Powelson, founder of Paws for Hope, said the budget for clinics and followup treatments can be up to $10,000 per clinic.
“We’ve made that commitment that any animal that needs care beyond what we can provide here gets that treatment.”
Powelson said those with lower financial means make excellent pet owners, even when homeless.
Most of the animals they see are as well-loved and healthy as those they see in private practice, and the dogs tend to be well socialized.
Paws for Hope runs three to six clinics a year, and is largely dependent on donations, Powelson said.
For information on how to help, go to pawsforhope.org