By Spencer Sterritt

Free animal clinic gives heartwarming help to low-income Nanaimo families

Apr 18, 2019 | 3:35 PM

NANAIMO — Vet bills can be enough to put families on stable financial footing into debt, but they can devastate those struggling to stay off the streets.

Understanding how heartbreaking it can be to not care for a pet due to the high cost, a free community animal clinic is reassuring low income pet owners and giving them the help they need.

Veterinarian Courtenay Large, who brought the idea of a free animal clinic to the Nanaimo Region John Howard Society, said their first clinic in March was enough to bring people to tears.

“Everybody we saw was overwhelmingly grateful,” Large told NanaimoNewsNOW. “People in tears, thankful and wanting to give us donations even though they don’t have much themselves.”

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Twenty-five people visited the clinic at St. Peter’s Church in March. Large said they can accommodate up to 40 animal visits in one day.

The clinic is for low income families, single parents who need assistance, seniors on fixed incomes and Nanaimo’s homeless.

Every pet is given a complete physical exam, receives care for parasites and vaccines if the animal isn’t up to date.

Large said they hope to expand the number of vet volunteers to help more and more animals each time.

The next free animal clinic is June 20 at 2 p.m. Pet owners can register one-hour ahead of time at St. Peter’s Church.

spencer@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit