A local veterinarian says providing care for animals has been challenging due to the increased demand for services through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Across the country, vets, breeders, and animal adoption agencies are struggling to meet demand when it comes to the high number of people wanting to adopt pets.
Dr. Maggie Brown-Bury is an emergency and critical care veterinarian at the Veterinary Specialty Centre of Newfoundland and Labrador. She says they’re certainly feeling that strain here in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Dr. Brown-Bury says primary care clinics are booking out two to four weeks in advance for procedures like vaccinations and health checks, trying to save room for sick pets. Even then, she says they are often unable to accommodate their clients, leading to much longer wait times in emergency clinics.
For example, Brown-Bury says a general practitioner who has been seeing a dog for some eight years may not be able to provide care for the animal, now that it is sick, because they are overbooked.
She says the veterinarian wants to be there for their client but also needs to set boundaries to keep themselves healthy.
Dr. Brown-Bury adds that it may sound counterintuitive, but pet owners should be proactive. She says it’s better to wait three hours today to get an issue dealt with, instead of waiting a few days and making it worse.
Dr. Maggie Brown-Bury spoke with Ben Murphy on the VOCM Morning Show. Listen below:
