Before & After – Vinnie’s Puppy Strangles Didn’t Stop Him From Finding a Forever Home

Feb 9

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One of the things I love about shelter medicine is the ability of a shelter and its staff to take an animal that would easily be overlooked or considered for euthanasia and give them a chance to heal and get a second shot at life.

There are many animals that come into the shelter broken, malnourished or with various medical concerns that need to be addressed. Oftentimes we become so enveloped in caring for the animal that we forget to recognize how far the animal has come in its recovery. We often think back to the grainy image stored in our memory of the animal when it first arrived in our care but have no actual image to reflect back on to remind us and show others how much of a difference we made. That is why I am going to make a concerted effort to take photographs of animals early on in their treatment so that I can share with you the many success stories that we see in animal shelters.

To start off the Before & After series, it is only appropriate that I share the story of Vinnie.

Vinnie - Before

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Not Just Any Vet…A Shelter Vet

Feb 9

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Since I made the decision back in 2007 to leave a promising career in psychology behind to become a veterinarian, I knew that the type of veterinarian I wanted to be was not the type that most of us think about — the family pet’s doctor, who is there with you from puppy or kitten-hood until your beloved companion takes his or her final breaths. That was not where I belonged.

I wanted to be the invisible person who takes care of your beloved companion when they are lost, the person who nurtures your pet until you can be reunited again. I also wanted to be the beginning of a beautiful relationship that you have with your newly adopted friend. I wanted to be the person that helped bring you together so that you can share and support one another through the ups and downs that come your way over the years of your lives together.

Most people don’t know that shelter veterinarians exist or what their role entails, but I wanted to become one as I saw it as a place that I could make a significant impact on the lives of thousands of animals (and people) every year.

When I graduated from veterinary school at UC Davis’ world renowned School of Veterinary Medicine, I set out to bring my dreams to fruition. And I have!

I invite you to jump on and take a ride with me on the roller coaster that is shelter medicine!

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