CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte, the state of North Carolina and the United States are in need of more veterinarians, according to a local animal rescue and national studies on the topic.
The United States will need an additional 41,000 veterinarians by 2030 to meet rising demand, according to a study from Mars Veterinary Health.
Mars Veterinary Health has a network of 2,500 veterinary clinics in 20 countries, according to its website.
What You Need To Know
Study says U.S. will need 41,000 more veterinarians by 2030 to meet demand, offset future retirements
N.C. rescue organization says demand for veterinarians, especially emergency care, can span hours and cost thousands
N.C. rescue says two of its recent rescues' medical costs added up to more than $5,000 each
Its study, “Pet Healthcare in the US: Are There Enough Veterinarians?” states the 41,000 are needed to meet growing demand and offset future retirements.
Currently, there are 116,091 veterinarians working in the U.S. with nearly 60% focused on companion animals like cats and dogs, according to the same study.
Additionally, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) states the existing shortage is not as simple as it looks. Instead, the AVMA says it is a combination of workforce burnout, a decrease in productivity due to COVID-19 and a built-up demand of routine animal care after the pandemic.
“The average turnover for veterinarians is twice as high as it is for physicians in medical practice. And veterinary technicians have one of the highest turnovers of all health care positions compared,” the AVMA’s report states.
Overall, the AVMA was cautious in blaming the perceived shortage on simply more people adopting pets during the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, saying it is a combination of the factors listed above.
In Charlotte, a local animal rescue says the veterinarian shortage is noticeable and can cause headaches to both animals and humans alike.
Chrissy Elder founded Forgotten, Now Family Rescue with some friends in 2020-21.
“We wanted to do things where we found the dogs that no one wanted. We wanted to be a rescue that was originally founded on the basis of, whoever was forgotten, you’re now our family,” Elder said.
Since it was founded, Elder said the rescue has saved more than 1,700 dogs.
“I usually come to the shelters three days a week, I come on my lunch breaks from my real job. I usually do 30 minutes to an hour at the shelter three days a week, then I usually do a full day on the weekends,” Elder said, explaining their efforts in finding hard-to-place rescue dogs.
Over 90% of the pets they rescue are complex, often expensive, medical cases the shelters cannot handle on their own.
“A lot of the time we are looking for the dogs that no one else will touch. So, medical bills, we have one right now that’s at $5,000 in two days,” Elder added.
Elder was referencing a recent rescue, a dog named Monroe. Monroe was left in a Union County PetSmart shopping cart, requiring major surgery to repair a prolapsed organ. After an initial surgery, Monroe required another, adding up to a more than $5,000 medical bill.
Monroe’s story is a typical one for Forgotten, Now Family rescue. And, the funding and emergency veterinarians necessary to help in those cases can be hard to find.
“So with Monroe, we were called on a Sunday afternoon, which means it’s emergency vet only. There’s so little emergency vets in the area right now, especially with the shortage we’re experiencing,” Elder explained.
With a lack of local options, Elder said lines and costs at veterinarians’ offices, especially emergency ones, can be significant.
“We’re in a position where emergency vetting, you can wait 7-10 hours at times. The expense is thousands upon thousands of dollars. And if you don’t have those relationships, you don’t always get a same day, right away initiation of going into the visit,” Elder said.
It means more dogs like Monroe could be left without help.
“So, we’re in the middle of a really rough situation for rescues, shelters and the vet offices. All of us are drowning, at this moment,” Elder said at the demands facing the nation’s companion animal industry.
One of the rescue’s co-founders, Emily Chandley, echoed the need for more options when it comes to veterinary care.
“People need to see that there’s kind of this dark, dirty side to rescue. Where, they’re really injured and you have to put lots of time and lots of effort and lots of money into these dogs,” Chandley said, “But, at the end of they day, somebody is going to get their forever dog.”
Chandley is currently fostering more than 10 rescue dogs at her home, including 2-year-old Thomas.
Thomas was found with a crushed pelvis and broken back legs, requiring more than $5,000 worth of surgeries, X-rays and other medical attention. Additionally, he might need another surgery, which could double the amount, according to Chandley.
Thanks to donations and local relationships with veterinarians, Forgotten, Now Family covers all those medical costs and does not pass them on to foster families or adoptees, according to Elder and Chandley.
But, having more local veterinarians would increase the access to nearby medical care for the rescue’s many dogs and the families and individuals associated with their care. It also could increase the list of veterinarians willing to offer discounted rates and other services to rescues like Forgotten, Now Family.
“Finding vets that will work with rescues that pull major medicals, or even just have regular normal dogs that need spay, neuter, maybe some antibiotics for a skin condition, finding vets that are willing to work with rescues and give us discounts … Because, we can’t afford to vet 67 dogs like I can my own personal dogs, it’s just not realistic,” Chandley explained.
Not to mention, more local veterinarians would make it easier to expand the rescue’s foster pool, which could in turn reduce demands at county and city animal shelters.
“So, we can have fosters that have major medicals down in Rock Hill, or up in Troutman, or places like that. If we have vet practices that we know are convenient to our foster families and that can work with us on price,” Chandley added.
Help is on the way in Charlotte. The Veterinary Emergency Group (VEG) is opening a new pet ER in Charlotte in mid-September. The new hospital will operate 24-7 with a focus on direct veterinarian contact between doctors and pet owners, according to a press release from VEG.
In the meantime, Chandley and Elder said they will continue helping their four-legged friends with complex medical conditions despite the headaches associated with their care. Both said the work is rewarding and worth doing.
Chandley’s 2-year-old foster Thomas, for example, is making a full recovery. When he was first rescued, he could not use his back legs and required extensive surgery. Now, after physical therapy and other care, Thomas loves to swim and play outside, despite waiting to see if he would need another surgery.
“He’s going to make some family so happy, some kid is going to cry when they leave for college cause they’re leaving him behind,” Chandley said while Thomas swam.
Thomas and Monroe are just two of the dozens of dogs currently available to foster or adopt through Forgotten, Now Family and both will eventually be ready for adoption to their forever homes.