Local vets slammed with cases during pandemic

OVERWHELMED WITH THE NUMBER OFPETS COMING IN.

YOU THROW INSTAFF SHORTAGES AND COVID-19PROTOCOLS AND IT'S LEADING TOLONGER WAIT TIMES...ANDFRUSTRATED CLIENTS.

NOWCLINICS ARE COMING TOGETHERFOR A CAMPAIGN TO EXPLAIN THESITUATION.

NEWS THREE REPORTERANTHONY SABELLA IS LIVE INVIRGINIA BEACH WITH A CLOSERLOOK AT THE PRLEOBM.CAI N TELL YOU -- AS A HUSBANDTO A VETERINARIAN AND A PETOWNER...I GET TO SEE BOTHSIDES OF THE ISSUE.

WE ALLWANT OUR PETS TO GET THE BESTCARE...BUT SO MANY PEOPLE WENTOUT AND GOPET TS DURING THEPANDEMIC...THAT LOCAL CLINICSARE SO SLAMMED, THEY CAN'T SEETHEM ALL.

ACREDALE ANIMALHOSPITAL HERE IS PART OF AGROUP OF LOCAL CLINICS THATGOT TOGETHER AND SAW THEY WEREALL HAVING SIMILAR ISSUES.AND SO WHAT'S KNOWN AS THECOASTAL VIRGINIA VETERINARYMEDICAL ASSOCIATION HIRD EAP-R FIRM AND IS STARTING ANOUTREACH CAMPAIGN CALLED(PAWS( TO BE KIND.

BASICALLYTELLING CLIENTS LOOK WE'REMAXED OUT, STAFF IS BURNED OUTAND GETTING HARDER TO RETAIN,NOT TO MENTION COVID-19CHANGED SOME PROTOCOLS SO YOURWAIT TIMES ARE GOING TO BELONGER.

IT'S AN ISSUE FORGENERAL PRACTITIONERS (AND(EMERGENCY CLINICS.

ACREDALE ISONE OF A HANDFUL OF CLINICSTHAT DO BOTH IN OUR AREA.

AS ARESULT OF A STAFF SHORTAGE --LEAD VETERINARIAN DR. SARAHMEADOR SHIFTED ROLES FROMSEEING GENERAL APPOINTMENTS TOEMERGENCY SHIFTS THATTYPICALLY LAST MORE THAN 12HOURS.

THAT MEANS OFTENCHOOSING WHICH EMERGENCIESNEED TO BE SEEN IMMEDIATELYVERSUS THE ONES WHERE IT'SOKAY TO WAIT."A LOT OF THE GENERALPRACTICES, TEHIR APPOINTMENTSCHEDULES ARE BOOKED TWO WEEKSOUT AND SO WE'RE SEEING ANINFLUX IN BOTH EMERGENT CASESAND LESS CRITICAL ONES ANDUNFORTUNATELY, THE LESSCRICITAL ONES ARE EXPERIENCINGLONGEWAR IT TIMES AND THAT'SFRUSTRATING FOR LOA T OFCLIENTS." THE PAWS TO BE KINDCAMPAIGN HAS SOME SUGGESTIONSFOR CLIENTS TO HELP THESITUATION AT THEIR VET.

ITSTATRS WITH UNDERSTANDING ANDKNOWING YOUR CLINICS AREOVERWHELMED -- BUT ALSO BEINGON TIME FOR APPOINTMENTS OR IFYOU'RE GOING TO BE REALLY LATEOR CAN MAKE IT -- AT LEASTCALLING AHEAD TO RESCHEDULE SOANOTHER PET CAN BE SEEN.

YOUCAN ALSO ASK ABOUT DROP-OFFAPPOINTMENTS.JUST MAKE SURE TO PARTNER(WITH( YOUR VETERINARIAN FORYOUR PET'S CARE.

BOTTOM LINE-- THEY'RE LIKELY PET OWNERSTHEMSELVES...THEY KNOW HOWIMPORTANT YOUR PET IS TO YOUAND THEY WANT WHAT'S BEST FORYOUR PET.

LIVE VINB, AS, NEWSTHREE.A ZOO IN KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI