BONNER — The Humane Society of Western Montana offered a free pet wellness clinic on Sunday in Bonner.
The organization aims to host a clinic in a different community each month and this time around, veterinarian Luke Anderson volunteered to examine the 20 animals that were brought in. He emphasized the benefit of a pet wellness checkup.
"Sometimes people don’t know that their pets are ill, and just having a large fee for an office visit pulls them away from seeing a veterinarian. Just having the free quick exam-we can’t treat or do anything, but we can at least inform them that it’s time to go see a vet, and then they know their money’s going to the right place for the right reason because they can tell there’s an issue," said Anderson
While these clinics don’t offer immediate care, they do provide a lot of services pet owners otherwise might not have access to. Sunday, pets received a wellness exam, vaccinations, microchips, ID tags, leashes, and collars all for free.
These monthly clinics rely on grant funding and collaboration with community councils to offer all of the free services. As long as the Humane Society of Western Montana receives funding, they’ll continue to hold monthly clinics throughout western Montana.
Humane Society of Western Montana executive director Marta Pierpoint said this event was a great way to help people in a financial bind.
"It’s expensive for people who are on a tight budget to get some of the care that they need and we hope that this reduces stress not just this time of year but all times of the year for people who need a little extra help with their canine and feline companions,"
The clinics are appointment based and they’re open to anyone in the community. You can find details about the next clinic on the Humane Society of Western Montana’s Facebook page or on their website.
