Sonoma County pet owners desperate for timely emergency pet care
A veterinary staffing crisis has left Sonoma County pet owners desperate for timely emergency pet care, reports The Press Democrat, as a surge in pet ownership during the pandemic and a shortage of veterinarians has left local animal doctors exhausted. Dr. Kim Henry, an emergency veterinarian and the medical director of VCA PetCare East Veterinary Hospital in Santa Rosa, said: “We’re constantly overwhelmed,” adding “It’s something that is very trying on my staff but also on my clients . . . There are so many emergencies, but there are just not enough places to go, not enough doctors.” Albert Escobedo, director of veterinary operations at Humane Society of Sonoma County, has identified “compassion fatigue” among veterinary staff who are experiencing the emotional and psychological impact of being overwhelmed by too many sick cats and dogs or constantly dealing with worried or angry pet owners. “That’s when there are so many sick animals that you realize you can’t help them all, you no longer feel compassion for them,” Escobedo said, adding “Burnout is linked to where you work — burnout is fixable, compassion fatigue is not fixable . . . It’s a crisis, 100% — we cannot keep up with the demand.” Dr. Kate Hopper, professor of small animal emergency and critical care at UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, says the staffing shortage in the veterinary field is a nationwide problem. “Post pandemic, we’re really struggling,” she says. “It’s a very challenging job, and people now have other options.” As of this year, 66% of American households (86.9 million homes) own a pet, according to a survey by Forbes Advisor. In 1988, the share of pet owners was 56%.
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