The Inside Scoop – The Economics of Veterinary Care

By Jessica Henry-Johnson

Perhaps Humane Fort Wayne is best known for the work we do in the shelter at the Sharon Bodenhafer Critter Center: bringing in animals from all over the region, country and sometimes the world; doing emergency intakes for large scale hoarding or cruelty cases outside; patching-up adoptable pets and finding them forever homes; creating fun social media posts; and the list goes on.

But when you get right down to it, is an animal shelter’s sole role to be the source of our community’s pets? No animal wants to be in a shelter, no matter how beautiful the Sharon Bodenhafer Critter Center is. Shelters like ours should be doing everything possible to keep pets at home where they’re loved.

With that said, I will argue that some of the most important work we do is not done at the shelter at all. Rather, it’s the affordable veterinary care available at either our public clinic on Maycrest Drive or at our Clinic + location on St. Francis Drive.

An inability to afford pet care is quickly becoming one of the top reasons pets are surrendered to shelters, or in the worst case scenarios, let loose in the country. And given that the cost of pet-related expenses is significantly out-pacing regular inflation, it makes sense why some pet owners believe their animals may be better off with a new family who can better afford to care for the pet.

With that said, I will argue that some of the most important work we do is not done at the shelter at all. Rather, it’s the affordable veterinary care available at either our public clinic on Maycrest Drive or at our Clinic + location on St. Francis Drive.

An inability to afford pet care is quickly becoming one of the top reasons pets are surrendered to shelters, or in the worst case scenarios, let loose in the country. And given that the cost of pet-related expenses is significantly out-pacing regular inflation, it makes sense why some pet owners believe their animals may be better off with a new family who can better afford to care for the pet.

What those owners don’t realize is that their beloved animal would become one of hundreds of pets on a waiting list to be surrendered to Humane Fort Wayne. It simply isn’t feasible to take in every single owned animal in need – especially not when we’re also pulling cats and dogs from crowded shelters.

And, besides, your pet wants to stay with you!

But, we get it. The prices to care for a pet these days are steep!

Did you know that 52% of U.S. pet owners have skipped or declined recommended veterinary care? And of those, 71% of pet owners who skipped care cite cost as the primary reason (Gallup).

And according to Humane World for Animals, 20 million pets in the US live in underserved communities. 70% of those pets have never been to see a veterinarian, and 88% of those animals haven’t been spayed or neutered.

Finally, in case you thought it was only low-income pet owners impacted by rising veterinary costs, one in three pet owners with household incomes over $90,000 also skipped care due to cost.

Enter Humane Fort Wayne.

At Humane Fort Wayne, we are continuously working to expand access to care so that cats and dogs, regardless of their owners’ income, can receive quality veterinary care. A person’s pocketbook shouldn’t determine whether or not their pet has fleas or is vaccinated against deadly diseases.

I suspect, however, that many in our community aren’t aware of the scope and scale of the affordable veterinary services we provide. First and foremost, our pricing at both of our clinics is transparent. You can know before you come in how much your visit will cost. This helps pet owners budget for their pet’s visit.

Affordable Veterinary Services at Humane Fort Wayne

What happens at 1333 Maycrest Drive?  – At our public clinic we offer walk-in wellness visits. This means no appointment is necessary for your pet to receive a basic exam, annual vaccines, routine bloodwork, and testing for diseases like heartworm. You can also stop in to purchase flea, tick, and heartworm prevention during business hours. If your pet needs services beyond the basics, or if your pet is too fearful to enter a clinic like that, we offer appointments at our Clinic + (Plus) location. 

What Happens at 901 St. Francis Drive? –  At Clinic + your pet can receive additional testing and some diagnostics. We also offer CHILL appointments for dogs and cats who react poorly to vet visits in general and may require some medications to be more comfortable during their exam. Finally, at this location, we now offer affordable private euthanasia. Your family can be with your pet during this meaningful transition, and our caring team will explain the options available for home burial, cremation, etc.

Spay/Neuter Surgeries – Appointments can be made online to have your owned cats or dogs sterilized at our High Quality High Volume Spay/Neuter (HQHVSN) Clinic. Our prices are the lowest in the area, in an effort to help pet parents access this important care. And the prices are even lower for residents of certain zip codes.

Community Cat Surgeries – As the oldest organization in our region to provide TNR (Trap Neuter Return) packages for Community Cats, we can help keep stray cat populations in control by offering these services at substantially lower rates. Right now, for example, they’re free for all Allen County residents!

Suffice it to say, Humane Fort Wayne is committed to helping keep pets out of shelters and in homes where they are loved. And one very good way to do that is to offer veterinary services that are affordable and accessible. Come visit us for a great veterinary experience! 

And, as always, you can learn more (and see all of our prices) on our website!

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