The Shame Of Pro Bono

 A follower on our Jarrettsville Veterinary Center FaceBook page summed it up well;

"A lawyer doesn't get shamed for providing free services.. vets shouldn't shame other vets for offering low cost care."

...and yet these are some of the comments left about me after a post advocating for pet parents to find other options elsewhere if they meet overwhelming obstacles. There is a storm of change brewing and it will include transparency, options to seek care elsewhere, and low cost options targeted at avoiding economic euthanasia.

Here's the post I put up on Jarrettsville Vet Facebook.

Here's some of the comments from a veterinary group that took opposition to it.

Here's what medical doctors say about you when you offer others free care, low cost care, and advocate for the patients we all came here to care for.

"she's a holier than thou piece of shit."

"Disney villian movie wish."

"magnific-u-next-Tuesday."

"bless her vacant, soulless, narcissistic heart."

"she's an asshole."

For all of the arduous effort it has taken to actually start talking about offering a spectrum of care within veterinary medicine, we sure aren't helping those who are actually doing it.

I put up another post that talked about a pet who was given a $7-8,000 estimate for an exploratory surgery. The pet parent had $700. We found them a place a few hours away that did the surgery for $300. When I shared it a group of vets got pretty furious assuming I was bad mouthing the original ER. Sounded like a lot of guilty conscious redirected aggression to me.

On some of the posts I have put up there are vets who "wish me to go under as I give everything away."

Or, accuse me of poor pay, workplace standards and care, and presume I can only do this because I have "family money."

There are a million little reasons I am here. Broadcasting affordable care as a practice owner. Promoting the ethos that you can do good and do well. Sharing real-life examples in the faces of the angry mobs of doubting Thomases.

Pro Bono care is an option in every single scenario at our clinic. There are so many instances where our team members mental health supersedes the income generated from a good or service. Pro Bono euthanasia is the primary best case example. If a patient is suffering, has a grave prognosis and you feel it is in the best interest of all we donate a euthanasia. 

We also provide pro bono care for long time clients in need of assistance. Homeless pets, and almost daily a case that just needs a little extra help. Xrays are done if the vet feels it will help them sleep better at night and not worry. We remove obstacles so that everyone can feel better about the choices and care we give. Why? This is a hard job and if we can help make it easier, less stressful, and get to happier endings together than we do it as a team.

Any pet who is brought to us is given options. There are at least three. We practice what we preach. We have some significant advantages at our clinic. We have been here for over 80 years. We know almost all of our clients, and have known them for a very long time. We know what they can do, will want to do, and what they need from us. Some will always take a referral if needed. Some will never go. Some cannot afford to go. We offer, talk about options, and every decision is a discussion. There is almost never a discussion about Gold Standard, or any kind of incremental care. We listen, talk, and we trust each other. There are written report cards that summarize every exam. We write down the current patient plan and a next step plan. We give written estimates on any plan we propose. We list our prices on our website. I advocate for transparency in pricing and therefore I post them. I also list most of my surgeries on Pawbly.com Storylines section. Real-life cases with the complete itemized list of the procedures costs. 

The backlash of being a bit of a rebel for the best interest of our patients and their families has been dizzying. The profession is advocating openly (finally a decade after it became a viral video plea) and even promoting how this can be done in our December 2025 JAVMA (our professional journal), but, we are expected to do this quietly. Don't rat on your colleague who charges $7,000 for a pyometra even though they aren't a specialist, and know it is a third of the cost in 12 hours 5 miles away.

There is a storm brewing. It is a hailstorm of greed, shame, ugly insults, and denying care if it is not profitable for them. 

Why is there so much nastiness towards me, and why are so many others who also offer pro bono, low cost care so quiet? Well, just look at the names you get called if you are on the side of our patients.

Here's the video that started all of this hatred.

Here is the video I put up today. 

For any pet parent who needs help you can find it here;

Pawbly.com

Pet Good Samaritan Fund

Jarrettsville Veterinary Center website

Leave No Patient Behind

George is a 9 year old indoor domestic short haired cat who visited us about a month ago for straining to urinate in the litter box, and producing only small amounts of urine. 

He presented again to us yesterday; unable to urinate. George is now a "blocked cat" or, UO cat (for urinary obstructed) cat. 

He found us, like they all do, with a little bit of luck, and a parent with limited resources. 

When he arrived on Saturday morning at the vet clinic we suspected that he was blocked. We also hoped that his parents had a rainy day account of immediately accessible funds so we could send him where he needed to be; the ER. The ER these days require a $4,000 deposit for this. It is beyond my comprehension what they do with that $4k, but it seems ubiquitous enough amongst the lot of them so it must be accountable in some list of line items. 

Within 20 minutes of Georges arrival at my clinic my phone rang.

"Sorry to bother you, (I was away for the Thanksgiving holiday), but, we have a blocked cat here." 

"Is anyone there willing to unblock him?" I asked.

"Yes."

"Ok, then we will figure out how to pay for it later. Have the owner go through our emergency sheet. Have someone else in the room with them to serve as a witness. And, make sure she is ok with us sharing the story and photos. Call me if you need anything."

"Ok. What would happen if we didn't help these cats?"

"They would die at home a miserable death, or be euthanized. Just like all of the rest of the cats. You know that." I replied.

My office manager agreed to go over everything with George's mom. She was working from home, on her day off because that's what George needed from us. George is a perfect example of who we are. He is deserves to be cared for. He is why I went into veterinary school. He is my WHY as much as any of the regularly paying customers are. Maybe more so.

George, the morning he arrived at JVC.

Here is the Facebook post we put up that morning; Georges first FB post here

"This is George.  He has found himself in a hopeless situation today.  He is blocked, and his mom only has $400 available to help him.  At our practice unblocking runs $800 - $1,000.  Despite the lack of funds we’ve agreed to help him, because we know without help George will die.  George and his mom could use some help financially with the cost of his care and treatment over the next couple of days.  Donations can be called in or made in person directly to George’s account.   Donations can also be sent via PayPal to jarrettsvillevet@gmail.com, please note that your donation is for George.

A big thank you to our kind hearted Dr. Ahrens who agreed to stay late to help George today.  ❤️"

A few hours later we posted an update;

Waking up from surgery.

"George is out of surgery and resting!  Thank you to all who have donated.  Please know any funds raised in excess of what is needed for George will be used to help another pet in a predicament like George. 

We truly couldn’t do this without the kindness and generosity of those who support us in our mission to help pets like George."

Two hours after the first post was put up we had raised $1900 for George. 

I posted a video on his story. Find it here; Inspire an army to save lives video here.

George update

One day post op. Looking good George

He is feeling SO much better with the help of our rockstar Saturday staff. He is getting his sq fluids currently (he is awesome at it) & taking his meds like a good boy.

So, George is a miracle, right? I mean its an incredible thing to be able to be given the treatment you need at a price your client can afford? Why doesn't every veterinarian do what we do? 

Well, because they think they can't. I hope to set an example of how this can be done. And remind everyone how good it feels to help save these lives.

We take a can-do approach to these cases. We take a leap of faith that we can save these pets first of all. We only offer payment plans, pro bono, take a risk on non-payment for cases that we think will survive and have a good return to a quality of life. We do not offer this to patients used for breeding purposes, people who are abusive, unkind to the staff, and who we do not believe will continue to provide routine preventative future care. For all of the cases we do not offer pro bono, or potentially not pay us back, we do offer to have the pet parents the option of signing over their pets to us. We will find a home for them, or keep them as our own for the rest of their lives. While this might sound cruel or unkind there are situations where pet parents realize they cannot provide the care their pets need, and they put this above all else. These are the people we want to over extend ourselves for. Sadly, almost everyone would rather their pet suffer, remain without treatment, and ultimately die than give them up. There was a case of a 4 year old dog who swallowed a corn cob who died recently after the owners declined the offer to give lifesaving surgical intervention. They watched her die over 4 days while they tried to raise the $3500 the ER required as a deposit versus signing her over to the rescue who offered to take her and get her the surgery she needed. 

Here is the document we use for these cases. We ask the pet parent to initial each line and then give them a copy for their records. If people would come to me and say "I love my pet so much that I would rather have her treated and alive with someone else than dead with me." I would do everything to save them. I don't think I am alone with this. 

For more information on this please see our website; Jarrettsvillevet.com see the tabs for Financial Assistance and Immediate Help.

All clients who cannot afford the estimate for needed care at Jarrettsville Vet must agree to and sign the following;

___ I understand this is an emergency.

___ I understand my pet would be best served at an ER, ICU, referral center.

___ The only reason that I am NOT at the ER/referral center/ICU is that I cannot afford it.

____ I understand that my pets current condition is (we fill in our differential diagnosis here).

____ I understand that I may not fully understand the extent and severity of this condition without a referral or additional financial resources

____ I have been given an estimate for care;

I can   ______        or    _____       cannot afford this estimate.

____ I understand that the estimate may change as my pets status changes. We will offer a payment plan if we go over your estimate.

If I cannot pay the estimated deposit for care I will;

1.       Sign a letter of collateral. If the invoice is not paid in 90 days the collateral will be transferred to JVC at my cost and the item will be sold for payment. Collateral item is; ______________

2.       Allow my case to be shared on any social media platform of JVC’s choosing to try to raise funds for my pet and awareness for their condition. This will help pay knowledge forward and maybe spare another pet from this condition.

3.       Follow all suggestions to include full story write up, starting a Go-Fund Me, sharing the fundraising efforts of JVC, and assisting with future fund raising projects at JVC

4.       Volunteer at other non-profits to pay it forward.

____ I allow JVC to share photos, videos and pertinent patient info for an indefinite period of time at their choosing.

____ I allow JVC, Dr Magnifico have full access and rights to my pets story. Past, present, future,

___ I will provide updates as asked and allow JVC, Dr Magnifico, the GSF, TPGSF, to share my pets story.

___ I understand that JVC has offered to help me care for my pet as an extension of compassion, kindness and shared goals to help end suffering and provide care regardless of financial constraints. It is with this in mind that I will be kind, compassionate, and generous with the actions and comments about my pets care.

___ We reserve the right to refer care back to an ER/ICU/specialist at any time.

 

Our Immediate Need Policy and Expectations for Non Clients are as follows: 

· We strive to offer affordable options for pet owners.

We usually require a full deposit at the time of intake for any emergency services. Our team will go over an estimate for your pet’s care once your pet is assessed. 

Please visit our website for additional resources to help with paying the balance. 

CareCredit may be utilized. You can apply for CareCredit via their website - https://www.carecredit.com/applyo Payment plans will be offered only to existing clients who have applied for or exhausted CareCredit. Payment plans are provided via Vet Billing

· Any financial concerns must be discussed at the time of receiving an estimate. 

· If you cannot afford the exam fee, the estimate for diagnostics and the treatment plan we will ask what is feasible for you financially, emotionally and physically to care for your pet long term. You are asking us to put your pet above the cost of running a veterinary facility, paying our staff and the emotional burden we take on with these cases.  

You will receive a copy of our Client Rights and Responsibilities and be expected to abide by it. We will not tolerate abrasive behavior directed to our staff. We are here to help you and your pet and expect to be treated with kindness. 

We will work together as part of a team for what is in the best interest of your pet. 

In working within the confines of financial concerns we may discuss with you waiving some diagnostics to keep the estimate within your budget. 

If it is determined that it not feasible for you to care for your pet long term, or if you pet is in need of immediate emergency care and we can not come up with a reasonable financial plan we may discuss surrendering your pet to one of the rescues we work with so that may receive the lifesaving care they need. 

· Jarrettsville Vet is a small animal general practice, we do not have staff in the building overnight. In most cases you will be expected to pick your pet up before we close. 

· We are working your pet in as an emergency. This means that the veterinarian may defer update calls to the support staff. Please rest assured that if your pet’s condition worsens you will receive a call. 

· It is our policy that if your pet is in need of emergency surgery and is intact, they will be spayed or neutered at the time of surgery. This is non-negotiable, if you are not agreeable to this clause please seek services elsewhere. All patients will also be vaccinated for rabies and given a microchip with Jarrettsville Vet listed as the contact for the life of this pet.

· You will allow us to share your pet’s story on Pawbly.com and social media at the discretion of the veterinarian. 

· If you receive funds from our Good Samaritan Fund you will participate in JVC or Good Samaritan Fund fundraising or volunteering and agree to the terms and conditions of our Good Samaritan Fund Recipient Policy. By signing below, you are indicating that you have read and understand our Emergency Services Policy.

Good Commercials Are Sold With A Smile You Never See

 Did you know the secret to selling something with only audio is to be smiling as you record?

Did you know that a smile can be heard?

Have you tried it? That smile is transcendent. It influences. Motivates. Sells.

Don't we all have to pitch ourselves every single day to someone?

Veterinary medicine is no different.

Simba. One of the 54 cats we helped last year from one home.

My job is to understand and translate my mute patient and sell their needs to their parents. Smiling while I sell, albeit the way a ventriloquist does, is the art behind the successful veterinary care sell.

I more appropriately I call it the 'building of trust to the point where the pitch is simplified to a permission versus a negotiation'. 

Basil One of 5 cats we took after the owners were evicted from a motel.,
He is safe with us now, but looking for a home.

I am a terrible salesperson. All that nonsense of fluff, fake veneers, and smoky mirrors is exhausting. I am a failure as a phony. I know this. I have had to rely on my genuine compassion to build a clientele willing to entrust their pets care in my hands. Just be me and try to remember to smile every so often. Not too much teeth or arm twisting. Keep the common goal in mind. We all have to be here with the same agenda and the same endpoint. Not an easy task or small hopeful wish.

It's not just lip service. I back it up with skin in the game. I make deals. If needed I will make deals that the house loses on.

Sadie. The most influential patient in my career.
She was my defining moment. My pivot point.

I give stuff away daily. It's the glitter in my vanilla day. It is the thing I love, take greatest delight in, every single day.

Sound crazy? Counter intuitive? Maybe its the easiest way to sell my genuine belief in always putting the patient first.

Saffie. Clinic cat.
Adopted and returned 3 times.
And still loved.

Here's an example.

Miss Phillips was elderly. Small, demure, crumpled and lacking any color in her dense weighty coat. Grey stringy hair, grey overstuffed winter coat, and grey sweatpants. She was seated on the long wide wooden bench in the exam room. Composed, quiet and clutching her coat sleeves enveloping her oversized market bag I think she used as a purse. She was quiet, withdrawn and weathered. She struggled with the weight of the 7 decades she had been alive. She needed help getting into our building. The staff led her into the exam room as they carried her petite dog-sized cat carrier for her. She was soft spoken and easily overlooked. She was a new client with a cat to be seen for a spay. This is the information I am given as I walk into the exam room. "New client, new patient. Cat needs to be spayed." No other information available. Blank slate. Not my favorite place to begin.

Seraphina.
Queen of everything

I say "hello" and start collecting pieces to finish the canvas. "This is Lilly. She is about a year old. She is not spayed." That's all I have. I look up at Ms Phillips. She has no emotion. She doesn't move an inch on the bench. Nestled into her winter coat seemingly swallowing her in its over abundant quilting.

"So, she has never been to the vet before?" I ask.

"No." Volley and serve and still no emotion to guide me on where this is going to end up.

"She is here to start her vaccines and be spayed. Correct?" I repeat. Ms Phillips is not giving me any information willingly. This is going to be a Q&A discussion. I slow down. Mirror her pace and attitude as much as I am able. 

I take a minute to look at her again. Switch gears from Lilly to her. "Did you drive here?"

"No, I don't drive." 

"Oh," I reply. A sigh of relief washes over me. "Who brought you?"

"My friend drives me."

"Do you have other pets?"

"No."

"No other cats?" Part of my job is sizing people up. Finding common ground whilst understanding the degree to which they invite these pets into their lives. That, and I just had a sense of "cat lady" lingering. Building a relationship to help a pet for their entire life and not this one and done visit. I try to remember to smile inside my inquiries. Add a smile, slow my pace, she seems very nice. I can see myself, someday, in her.

"There is a cat. (long pause).... She is not mine. I let her inside when it is cold. I just had her at the ER over the weekend. She had a respiratory infection. It cost me $300, so now I cannot afford to much for todays exam. I am not allowed to have more than one cat."

And there it was. The shell was cracked. She spilled the beans in just a few sentences and a change of perspective. 

We spoke for a few more minutes. She told me that she was renting her house. She was not allowed pets, but her landlords were going to let her keep Lilly as long as she was spayed and vetted. She was here, at my clinic, because we were the most affordable outside of the rescues and non-profits that had a 6 month plus spay/neuter wait time. 

"You let this other cat into your home where she sleeps at night. You feed her and now you pay for her to go to a vet clinic, and yet she isn't yours?"

All of a sudden one cat that she couldn't afford was two.

"What is going to happen when she has kittens?"

And with this question the look on Ms. Phillips face fell to the ground. It hadn't occurred to her. This reality where her good deeds put her in a predicament she couldn't manage.

We decided together that she would leave Lilly with us at the clinic. Her friend graciously ok'd bringing her back tomorrow with the other cat, Kitty. I would spay both the next day, and she could pay me back as she could. To save financial resources that she truly didn't have we would cut out the optional items like pre-op blood work. The exchange and change of plans had taken almost 20 minutes of our allotted 30. It had included being honest with who we are. It also included asking for help from the driving friend via a flip phone she dialed to her friend parked in the lot outside, too far for Ms. Phillips to walk again.

The next day I met Kitty. Small, slender, matted and peppered with grit in her coat from the flea dirt. Underweight, under muscled, overlooked and discarded like soo many cats in our community. She was gentle, confident, and melted with any small inkling of affection. She was so grateful for a warm place and a kind heart that she surrendered and collapsed into your arms soaking it all in.

Ms Phillips called later in the day checking on how the two cats did with their spay surgeries. "Fine," I replied. I had estimated Kitty to be about 4-6 years old. She was too sweet to be overlooked anymore. I asked her if she would like us to try to find her a home of her own. I never know if I can persuade others to see the kindness in an all black cat who isn't a kitten, but, she was not a feral cat and she needed a break. Ms. Phillips agreed once again that she couldn't have two cats at her home.

Over the phone (no car to drive and sign papers, remember), she authorized Kitty to stay with us as we tried to find her a home.

You know what happened? Another miracle. Seems so crazy the way miracles find us when we give more than we have to, and offer more than the house makes money on. Ms. Phillips got brave! She went to her landlords and put her cards on the table. She told them that she loved these two cats! That with a little help she was going to take care of them and she asked for permission to have TWO!

They said YES!

She called us back. Told us she wanted her Kitty back. 

Turns out happy endings just need a little faith and genuine compassion to make miracles happen.

....and with a smile we made the ending meet the intentions of everyone a reality everyone benefits from.

Wren. Night time ritual.
I tell her she is the most beautiful girl in the world and she reaffirms it.

Related blogs;

Wren: The Sickest Kitten Of Them All

Seraphina; The Futility of it ALL and Meet Seraphina

Sadie; Sadie's Story.

The Hardest Part Of This Job

Give Back. 

Borrowing Battery Juice. How Recharging Keeps the Motor Happy and BUILDS Your Veterinary Practice.

Early morning run produces four 1 month old kittens. 
Cold hungry and at the mercy of an often unforgiving world.

There is too much anger and blame in the world. I am just as guilty as the next over privileged white American. Travel the world for any amount of time in any capacity at all and you will return to the land of the stars and stripes feeling lucky. Stick around the USA long enough and the bitterness of wanting more and giving less gets the best of you. Outwardly none of us want to carry each others burdens. If you are a vet you seem to get asked more than you imagine others do to keep helping as the extended open hands never stop coming. It is our lot in life to be asked and expected to help. We are often castigated if we refuse to help. I fear most vets say "NO!" to the Springtime eruption of abandoned kittens, owner surrendered peeing cats, economic euthanasia's for broken bones, bad skin and the behavior cases that would just be too much work to retrain.

Sam, JVC adoption from rescue,
Thanks to the Good Samaritan Fund 
Summer 2016

The excuses are plentiful;

• "It isn't our job to provide homes for unwanted pets."
• "If the client can't afford the care needed they shouldn't have ever gotten a pet."
• "We are not the shelter. We are a business."
• "If we do it for free everyone else will expect it."
• "There are too many good/healthy pets being euthanized. Why should we champion the cause of the bad/sick ones?"
• "What about the liability of a clinic cat? Or, worse, a behavior dog?"
• "We have an obligation to care for our paying clients. We don't have time to care for both."
• "What affects my bottom line affects my ability to take care of my staff."
• "I can't love the pet more than their owner does."
• "It's not my problem."
• "It would take too much,,,, (insert the following here) time, effort, resources, care, etc."
• And, the one no one speaks out loud but secretly harbors; "I don't care."

Bruno

I will argue every point above. I can even simplify them all to a few basic tenets.

• You probably do care more than the average person. That is why you busted your butt to get into and out of vet school. This is what makes you exceptional. Who the heck wants to lower themselves to mediocre? 
• You are not as financially strapped as you portray. And even if you think you are I would offer this. If you are struggling as a vet you are doing something wrong, and it is NOT giving stuff away. It is not CAPITALIZING ON THE STUFF YOU DO GIVE AWAY. Our clients love us simply because we care about them and their pets. If you are not on social media you are losing about 30% of revenues you could have access to because you aren't telling your clients what you do. 
• People want transparency. We all like to know what to expect as much as possible. If you don't provide it they won't trust you. 
• You are replaceable. 
• Any vet who doesn't have a clinic cat is a clinic who says "NO" too often. One of the ways I suggest a client pick their vet is to walk out of a clinic if THEY DON'T HAVE A CLINIC PET. My lawyer reminds me every time they can about how I need to remove my in-clinic herd. They are considered a "liability." This is one of the many defining qualities of why I am not a lawyer.
• Your staff will stick with you because they believe in you and your clinic. They have choices to. They may think about leaving to make more money, but, they will stay because they know they are a part of the dream of who they wanted to be. Foster this at all levels of your business. It is the CORE of a hospital.
• Having and helping the needy pets has turned the staff into an army of veterinary care foster parents. This has trained my staff more than I could have ever done on my own. JVC has kitten critical care specialists, puppy trainers, dog behaviorists, and a a clinic of "fear free" personnel because we are true to our mission. 

Henry

Let's talk numbers. Every vet who thinks that being kinder and more generous is going to adversely affect their numbers isn't utilizing the power of being the person your clients want and expect you to be. If anyone wants to talk my numbers I can tell you that my clinic Jarrettsville Veterinary Center has grown beyond my wildest imagination. I took a leap of faith, I followed my heart, I employ people I trust and believe in and we share in the joys of trying. We don't always win the battle between life and death, and we don't always decide fate but we don't take or make excuses. Everyone and everything is provided assistance and more often than not the pet wins a battle they would have otherwise died from.

Roadside kitten
Day 2; grateful.

Building a veterinary business HAS TO BE centered around improving pets lives. It is much more than a balance sheet and time cards. It is small miracles, long hours of trying to bend the laws of science and biology. It is also endless buckets of blood, sweat, and tears.

I asked my business partner if he was brave enough to publish our numbers? How much has our bottom line improved while our goodwill runneth over? Maybe if I put out hard numbers that would encourage more vets to think AND act outside of the rigid 'care for paying clients only' box? It is a factor of exponential growth based on a series of key decisions.

1. Get rid of clutter. Clients who steal your soul, beat you up and cost your ability to maintain faith in mankind and compassion to your patients go. Period. If that means getting rid of 20% let them go. Quietly, peacefully and quickly. 
2. Be very vocal and open about who you are and what your clinics mission is. Broadcast it.
3. Embrace the free stuff. Use the talents of your staff, your reps, and your community. Ask for help with anything and give up control. If you don't let your assets sell your business it will never grow. 
4. Be honest always. 
5. Understand short term losses and long term gain. If you aren't a part of the long term gain your staff and your clients will see through you. 
6. You don't have to be anyone other than who you are. Stop trying to be something you are not. BUT, hire to round out your abilities and services or knowingly and openly give up a piece of the client expectations. For example, the vet I bought my clinic from did lots of ear crops. He was very good at them and hence people traveled great distances to see him. Me, well, I like floppy ears. It took a while for me to break it to his followers, but I am not a cosmetic ear vet. I was honest and they were upset he retired and that was the end of it.
7. Expect that notoriety brings visibility. Be prepared to grow and what that entails. It is a double edged sword. 
8. Go into every interaction with a smile, an open hand of assistance and expect the best of people. If there is one or two who disappoint you have a fund set aside to offset the loss. You will find that more people are good than bad and that more cases can be won versus lost and you can build forward. In summary, "don't sweat the small stuff.. and you know,, it is all small stuff."

Another of the roadside kittens

How has being more compassionate, opening our doors and services to more people, and doing things others think are impossible helped us? Goodwill builds loyalty. Loyalty builds vet-client bonds, and one long term client who passes your name along to anyone who needs help for their pets is a dollar you never have to spend on marketing that was never going to drive your business into the big leagues anyway.

Gus Gus. Found in a dumpster emaciated. Adopted within 1 week.

I have learned that what comes around goes around. I don't have to hope to cast karma. I can see it. People care about their pets. Most of them care about them as if they are family members. I do feel that we veterinarians have an obligation to help the patients we are educated and empowered to serve. I just argue that care should not be based simply on a clients ability to pay out right. There are lots of resources available from many wonderful organizations. We at Jarrettsville Vet will tell you what we can do for your pet. We will also tell you how much it will cost. If you cannot afford this, or, if you would like to know what other outside options are available we will provide them. We also post all of our prices and provide examples of past surgery costs willingly and openly. If they cannot pay we provide options. Economic euthanasia is not a treatment option.

Coconut.
Abandoned bottle baby turned bossy self described Alpha Cat.

You reap what you sew.

Ninja kittens decided they liked beds, food and cuddling rather quickly.

There is nothing worth the power of a smile and the joy that a pet brings. It is the most important part of our profession. It is the fuel that feeds the soul of a pet practitioner and supports the passion to be who we are and do what is not always easy.

Skippy Jon Jones
Good Samaritan Fund
Summer 2016

Raven

There are appointments where I know I spend more time playing and cuddling my patients than I expect to. These are always the moments I reflect upon each night when my husband asks me, "What was the best part of your day?"

River and Rose

I take the cases that have nothing left. Paisley needed a weird off the sidebar of my vet surgery text book surgery OR she was going to be euthanized. I sweated her surgery. I called my friends for advice. I put out a Facebook plea for guidance, and I jumped in when no one else would.

She now lives with someone who I adore. Paisely was the kismet to meeting a friend I cherish. She was a reason to try and the reward was worth the uneasy challenge. Life is not meant to be easy. Stop seeking easy. There is no reward there.

Paisley

If I could pick diseases to specialize in they would include;

1. Puppy Strangles
2. Pyometra
3. Demodex
4. Parvovirus.
5. Feline Inappropriate Urination

These too often are given up based on huge estimates of care. BUT, they are conquerable! And we shy away from them too often.

Jewel.
Incorrectly diagnosed as sarcoptic mange which almost cost her her life.

These are the faces of what we do. We help any pet from the local shelter who we think we can. We post them on Facebook like mad. We seek the comfort of a purr and a snuggle when we need to walk away from a hard case. We take time to remember who we are and why we are here. Keeping kittens helps the stress, the heart break and the reminder to push on. There are always souls in need and often we each help each other feel loved and needed.

Kitty and Sam
Good Samaritan Fund
Summer 2016

Every vet hopes to live and practice long enough to build a book of their career. To see the puppy they delivered reach teenage status. To save the kitten who had little hope if you hadn't intervened make it to spay/neuter surgery. To have enough cases to add opinions on preference of care. To see our clients children grow and have pets of their own. To build a book of stories that are worthy of brandy, long stormy days and reflection of glory days. We each are building our own legacy one patient at a time. Each one matters and each will build you into the person you decide to be.

Bear.

Who I delivered via Cesarean section (my first) 11 years ago.

Medicine takes courage, conviction, dedication and ability built on practice and heart.

Celebrate, announce and revel in the bright spots. Take pride and be who you are without fear.. medicine takes no prisoners,, we are all "a ghost driving a meat coated skeleton made from stardust. So what are you waiting for." (My new favorite quote). Every vet has a bit of demented biology we relate to.. embrace it!

Making new friends everyday.

Taking lots of selfies to keep the batteries charged.

If you think all of this isn't possible I ask you a few questions.

1. How often do you feel that your batteries are on empty?

2. Is there anything you are doing that you don't feel proud of? If so, just say no. No fear and face consequences with pride in being true to your inner self. I swear I got rid of all my soul sucking clients and staff.. It took A LOT OF COURAGE! I stopped making excuses that cost my patients for my clients sake, and I abandoned my bottom line concessions. Every decision is made openly honestly and with being kind and compassionate at the forbearance. It is possible.

3. What are you waiting for?

4. Is your desire to calculate overpowering your ability to find peace and joy in being a vet?

5. What are you really afraid of? What if I told you that it doesn't really matter? That you matter much more.

If you are still in disbelief about all of this,, I can add; No good deed goes unpunished. Expect it. Be prepared for it. Be brave. And don't let the pessimists take over your orchestra. Approach them as you would disease. They are there to challenge you. Out smart and out live them. And walk away knowing you are only better because you faced a challenge.. and then don't look back or waste time letting it bother you. We have all learned that there is a force of some greater influence than we will ever possess. (And turns out you can kill  a cat with an arrow and still keep your license.. the rest is just money. We are over the ludicrous idea of having lots of money aren't we?).

As always I wish you kindness, peace and endless compassion. 

Related blogs;

Dunkin. The Littlest Life and All That Matters

Compassion  Fatigue

What Compels Vet to Forgive?

Carry Each Others Burdens

If Wealth Were Measured In Good Deeds

Economic Euthanasia

If you would like to learn more about Jarrettsville Vet please visit us on our Facebook page, on our website, or find me on Twitter@FreePetAdvice or on Pawbly.com where I answer pet questions for free. Pawbly is open to anyone who loves pets. It is a place for free information and resources to help pets and their families. I also have helpful advice on YouTube Krista Magnifico, DVM.

A Guilty Conscious And A Feral Cat?

Sometimes I want to scream!

For whatever reason we at the clinic have been inundated with people complaining and expecting that we are in veterinary medicine because it is our civic duty to provide free services.

The assumption that we are independently wealthy, and morally obligated to take care of pets because we are compassionate and dedicated members of our community is presumptuous and manipulative.

I have great faith in my fellow pet caring neighbors. My husband would tell me that that is my first mistake. But still I remain stubbornly devoted to helping them take care of their pets.

Yet everyday there is another person who walks in our doors EXPECTING that if they yell loud enough, stomp their feet hard enough, and worse yet, guilt us relentlessly, that they will get THEIR pet cared for for free.

To add insult to injury many of these people drive new cars, have kids in private school, and know that I care about their pet.

I either get thicker skin, a sharper nastier and quicker venous tongue, or I let the guilt burn me out.

It is not a new dilemma for a veterinarian. It is just my dilemma du jour.

Here is the first example that has my knickers in a knot.

A client called the clinic requesting an appointment because her 'feral' cat had a wound that had not resolved over the last two months. She further told the front desk that she had "financial restraints and was requesting help in caring for him." She was put on the appointment docket with me for that evening.

Now, to be fair, our vet clinic tries very hard to not deny care to any pet in need. There is also an enormous number of feral cats in our rural Maryland County. So there is truly a need for assistance in many cases.

When I walked into the appointment for this cat I was greeted by a woman and her two children. Now I understand that assumptions can be incorrect, but this was not a family in need of financial assistance. New iphones, new car, private school kid attire, new gym outfit. I am not going way out on a limb here. The problem? Well, it appears that the husband doesn't feel that an 'outside cat' is worthy of care from the family budget. The wife repeatedly told me that her husband was already angry that she was here with him.

But I am getting ahead of myself. This cat was named, housed, fed, loved, and cared for by this family. He was purring and weaving through the kids legs seeking and getting attention from all. So why would this client call this cat 'feral'? It was obvious to me that I wasn't looking at a feral cat.

She believed he was considered 'feral' because he had an ear tip, he was not purchased by her, and he lived outside.

After an examination, an injectable antibiotic, and a rabies shot she and her cat were sent to the front desk to check out. When she received her bill the angry scene erupted. She was upset that she had been given a bill. Now to be fair I am still not sure if she expected a partial bill or no bill, but she didn't expect a full bill. She publicly voiced her discontent because she had been led to believe that her 'feral' cat would be given pro bono services. I apologized that she had been mis-informed and tried once again to remind her that this was her cat, and he was not feral. No luck.

In typical veterinary fashion I cowered, refunded her appointment fee, and secretly burnt another piece of my soul. I understand why it is impossible to try to help. People expect you to care, expect you to help, and then persecute you when you try to pull back because it is impossible to sustain.

Here is the email I received days later. (It took my three days to not write the letter I wanted to write).

Hello Dr. Magnifico,

I just wanted to thank you again for your help today with our "feral" cat.... I don't want there to be
bad feelings between us as we have 2 other cats that we bring in regularly...and another that is being transferred from
the XXXX in the near future. I have always been happy and impressed with the care my pets receive at your practice.
Thanks for taking the time to come out and talk after I left. I usually am not one to gripe over bills. The ONLY reason
I reacted the way I did is because our appointment was switched specifically because I was told that "She will work with you financially." I was taken back because I was told one thing and another happened. I was caught off guard. I understand that you are running a business and if I
was told that no "pro bono" would happen then I wouldn't have been shocked. Again, I hope there are no bad feelings. It looks as if it was a case of broken down communication as you knew nothing of the situation when we arrived.
Have a great day,


My reply:

Hello,

Thank You for taking the time to write.

I do agree that there was a break down in communication.

We, at JVC,  try very hard to help every pet in need and every person who asks for assistance. Unfortunately, this is a more than daily occurrence which places a significant and severe strain on our ability to maintain a functional business where employees are given reasonable wages and we have adequate equipment and a facility to meet all of them demands of a hospital. 

We have to be very careful who and how often we provide pro bono services. Compounding the endless requests for free services, goods, and care, is the frustration of having people be angry when they expect this.

It is a no win. I am unable to provide all that I wish I could. 

For us, at JVC, the definition of 'feral' is un-owned and un-handlable cat. I will make this clear to my staff in the future. I will also clarify that a feral cat will only be given pro bono goods, care, and services if it comes through a rescue organization. I hope that this avoids any future mis-communication.

What was particularly upsetting to me was that it appeared that you are caring for this cat as if he was yours. A cat that is named, tame, looked after, housed, and treated as if he is yours, is in my opinion, yours. There were also multiple statements about your husband being upset that you wanted to get care for him. It made me feel like this was somehow my fault? Many of our clients have cats that stay outside. An outside cat is not synonymous with 'feral'. 

It also did not seem to be a fair nor accurate statement that "you could not afford to care for him."

On a personal note I would add that I feel almost completely emotionally burnt out to be asked and expected to take care of every cat in what feels like everyone's back yard in the entire county of Harford. I have 12 years of college to try to serve my community by doing what gives me a sense of purpose: to help pets, and I am becoming a sounding board who feels an overwhelming sense of guilt because I am not able to take care of other peoples responsibility. It is a daily guilt ridden soul stealing occurrence. My husband has to witness me not bring home a salary reflective of my education, hours of work, and deal with my emotional burn out. It isn't fair any way you look at it.

I hope that you can understand my dilemma.

I sincerely appreciate that you are caring for Buggy. Clearly, he was not a product of your irresponsible pet ownership, but unfortunately there are literally thousands of cats just like him. 

I wish you and your family the best.

Sincerely,

Krista

Where is the key sticking point on this? "I hope there are no bad feelings". Yeah, I have them. And yeah, I haven't figured out how to resolve them.

Note to the staff at JVC: Please don't sign me up for something without talking to me first. We all end up bitter. 

Ok, head up, press on, and sorry if I vent to much.. I seriously try not too..

Well, after a bit of hesitation about sending my reply, I did. I decided to be honest and upfront..and I got the same in return.

Hello Again,
Thanks also for your response. I imagine it is super frustrating dealing with everyone's issues as you are trying to run a business. And, I apologize for putting any guilt on you. I certainly didn't mean for you to feel that my husband's issues were your fault. He always thinks I spend too much on my various animals. LOL We are new to the area and new to "feral" cats. I guess he is ours if we go with your definition. I was simply trying to make this little guys life easier as he wandered into our yard in the dead of winter.  I have never before taken in a stray. I never really liked the idea of an outdoor cat. Again...breakdown in communication...as to what a feral is and that JVC was going to do something for him.  I thought, through reading about ferals, that vets sometimes do pro bono stuff for them. Like I said before, I wouldn't have reacted in such a way if I knew from the start that JVC doesn't do that. I'll take it as a learning experience. It's quite sad that you feel so emotionally burnt. I used to be a classroom teacher and know what burn-out feels like. It sucks! Please know that most everyone who speaks of JVC does so with positivity. I wish I could do something to help...???
Sincerely,
Shelly

A little better, but still sort of missing the point..

so I say again, 

Chin UP! Press ON!