It’s becoming harder for Los Angeles pet owners to get their furry loved ones to the vet as most clinics are becoming swamped.
Dr. Marie Kerl, the Chief Medical Officer for Veterinary Centers of America, told KNX 1070 one of the reasons is due to the large amount of people who adopted a pet during the pandemic. She said one in three Americans adopted or bought a pet during the pandemic.
“Now there are a lot more animals to be seen right now and because people are spending more time at home with their pets they notice things sooner and they want to get their pets seen and taken care of as we all would of course,” she said.
But it goes beyond just a lot of people adopting. The other issue, according to Dr. Kerl, is the shortage of vet staffers in clinics. It’s something she said she’s never seen before.
“Even before the pandemic there was a shortage of veterinarians and veterinary technicians to train veterinarian staff,” she said.
“If you couple that with more animals to be seen, more people wanting to bring their pets in, it just escalates the problem.
When it comes to bringing your pets to vet, Dr. Kerl said the best way to get your pet seen is to have an established relationship with a vet by making a wellness appointment and making a connection before a pet emergency occurs.