NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk Animal Care Center (NACC) and Portsmouth Humane Society (PHS) have teamed up to open a veterinary clinic for animals from both shelters.
The public-private partnership will allow for the clinic, located in the city-owned space adjacent to NACC, to provide spay/neuter services and medical treatments. The two shelters currently rely on contracted and vendor veterinary services.
“Our contracted vets and local clinic partners have helped us save lives, but access to care is always an obstacle without a veterinary team on staff,” noted PHS Executive Director Alison Fechino.
The NACC received funding to outfit their clinic space with equipment hoping through the Request for Proposal (RFP) process someone with the capacity to staff the clinic might surface. PHS had the resources to hire veterinary staff but lacked funding for the start-up cost needed to open a clinic.
After reviewing NACC’s RFP, PHS submitted a proposal and was ultimately awarded the contract.
“That’s what meaningful partnership is about,” Fechino said. “We’re making something together that neither of our organizations could make alone.”
“I think this a great example of collaboration and trailblazing new processes for services and programs that meet the needs of your shelter and your community, and we are excited to increase our services,” said Michelle Dosson, the bureau manager for NACC.
Both shelters hope to expand the clinic’s service capacity to offer low-cost services to the public in the future.
NACC and PHS are finalizing space and staffing needs as the clinic is slated to open at 5585 Sabre Road, Norfolk in February 2022.
Veterinarian professionals interested in employment with the clinic should visit the PHS website,www.portsmouthhumanesociety.org, for hiring information or e-mail director@portsmouthhumanesociety.org. Adoptable animals for PHS can also be viewed on their website.
If you are interested in adopting this holiday season, the NACC is running a $50 special that includes a spay neuter service, microchip and intake vaccines. They also have a "best buds" program, where if two animals are bonded they can be adopted two for the price of one. To view NACC's adoptable animals, click here.
