SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS RADIO) – A shortage of qualified veterinarians in the Bay Area and across the state is having a devastating impact on local animal shelters.
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If you've tried to make an appointment with a veterinarian anytime recently, then you probably know it's not easy. More than 60% of California animal shelters are currently struggling to fill open positions for veterinarians or veterinary nurses.
"This is having an enormous impact not only for the care of a lot of injured and ill animals, but without being able to spay and neuter them, we can't get them out of the shelter, so we're starting to see this enormous crowding in our shelters," said Dr. Jennifer Scarlett, CEO of the San Francisco SPCA.
As a result, Scarlett told KCBS Radio some shelters are having to euthanize healthy adoptable animals.
Limited admission shelters sometimes euthanize a pet if the animal becomes unadoptable for medical or behavioral reasons, but now shelters are having to make the hard choice even if the animal is ready to find a new home.
"There's only so many animals that can be safely and humanely held in these facilities and we're starting to see shelters take this terrible position to have to let some go," she said.
Many veterinarians left the profession during the pandemic and Scarlett explained there isn't a big enough pipeline for training new vets, with only 32 veterinary schools nationwide.
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