Tails in the News
Vet shortage leads to creation of two task forces
Although animal awareness and rescue organizations are on the rise, there is a serious deficit of veterinarians nationwide. Arizona now has 400 openings, mostly in rural areas.
“This problem will only worsen,” says John (Jack) Schmitz, Ph.D. DVM, head of the Department of Veterinary Science and Microbiology at the University of Arizona. “As older vets reach retirement they are finding it difficult to get replacements in the smaller communities.”
“Large animal medicine has been hit especially hard by the shortage,” says Dr. Karter Neal, head of the Arizona Veterinarian Association Rural Affairs Task Force on which Schmitz serves as board member. The task force is working to identify ways to increase the number of vets in rural communities.
A second task force, which Schmitz heads, is looking at ways in which the university could offer a pre-veterinary program that would thoroughly prepare students for entrance into vet college. “The U of A has tried several times to build a vet college,” says Schmitz, “but it’s a huge cost—millions. All we need is a pre-clinical and pre-sciences program and we could more than double the students who are accepted into veterinary colleges. This really is the logical thing to do at a very low cost.”
Currently, Arizona is one of 15 western states participating in the WICHE (Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education) program, providing educational opportunity in states where there isn’t a college or school. The only problem is, there are too few students selected each year.
“It’s not that we don’t have enough pre-veterinary students,” says Schmitz. “There are currently 250 at the university and only 14 will be selected for veterinary college. I believe the state has an obligation to provide students an opportunity to pursue their educational interest, regardless of the need for vets.”
Vet colleges are well aware of the shortage, however, they are trying to convert urban vet students to rural vet students, and there’s actually a shift the other way.
In a comprehensive study on the shortage of vets in Nebraska, Schmitz revealed that students with rural background are far more likely to go into rural practice than their urban peers, and that trying to convert urban students to small community practice is difficult. Additionally, his study shows that rural vets are significantly more satisfied with their careers than their urban counterparts.
“I think there should be some special incentive to let rural students into vet college,” says Schmitz.
His task force hopes to present their study to the university’s dean by spring 2008 and eventually to Arizona legislation. “Who knows what the chances are or how long this will take,” he says. “Our legislation isn’t prone to funding. But considering there are nearly seven million people in Arizona, they certainly can afford a program that increases the chances for students.”
Former K-9 officer introduces life-saving device
Sergeant Tom Lovejoy of Chandler Police Department has been in the eye of a media storm after he left his K-9 companion, Bandit, in a car for 12 hours and the animal died from overheating. Although Lovejoy is no longer with the K-9 unit, he faces negligence charges, and has been the recipient of hate-mail and even death threats. Now he is trying to turn his troubles into something positive.
After the incident, Lovejoy received a condolence call from Brian Shakelford, a K-9 officer with the Glendale Police Department. “Brian is sort of a genius,” Lovejoy says, “who invents a lot of things to make our job safer.” Together they worked on and later introduced an Ocu-Alert device that could help prevent tragedies like the one with Bandit.
Phase I of the device consists of a black rubber mat that would replace the one already in the dog’s cage in a K-9 vehicle. The new mat, however, would be hooked up to the ignition and keep the car running even if the keys were removed. Phase II, “a back-up to the back-up,” Lovejoy explains, is a motion detector that would come on if the vehicle were turned off and call police dispatch within 10 minutes.
Lovejoy and Shakelford plan to sell the Ocu-Alert device to police departments and consumers for approximately $800. Lovejoy will not accept any of the proceeds.
“It’s my hope,” he says, “that this device will someday also work for children in car seats. If it can save one dog or child, it makes what I’ve gone through worthwhile.”
New building to help Altered Tails facilitate spay/neuter efforts
In the world of nonprofits, finding sources for funding can be a never-ending and exhausting task. Yet, sometimes an unexpected gift comes along to aid an organization in need.
Altered Tails of Phoenix, a low-cost spay/neuter clinic, was recently the recipient of such a gift. In September, Board Member Bea Barnhart and her husband Dick gave the nonprofit a 5,300 square foot commercial building (located at 950 W. Hatcher Road) to build a high-volume spay/neuter clinic. They also committed to match dollar-for-dollar all donations collected for the $600,000 required to bring the building up to City of Phoenix commercial code, do minor interior renovations, and purchase veterinary equipment.
Altered Tails and its founder, Pat Carpenter, have an ambitious goal—to sterilize 22,000 dogs and cats a year. Although the organization already has a 40-foot truck that serves as a mobile sterilization clinic, the new building will bring them several steps closer that goal.
“I do it for humane reasons,“ Carpenter explains, “59,093 dogs and cats were euthanized in Maricopa County last year. And that is primarily because there were not enough homes. So my thinking is, ‘Why not prevent the problem before it hits the ground?’”
To gain funds for the project Altered Tails will hold a fundraising event, “Have a Heart for the Animals,” Friday, Feb. 8, at DC Ranch Country Club.
See page 24 for more information.
PACC911 aims for success with HOPE luncheon
On Sat., Jan. 12, PACC911 (Phoenix Animal Care Coalition) will host a benefit luncheon, “HOPE For the Animals,” at the Westin Kierland Resort.
PACC911, a coalition of many animal welfare organizations in Maricopa County, has had a positive impact on the community by successful adoption events, veterinary assistance through its emergency fund, education, and fundraising.
The event will begin with a silent and live auction offering fine jewelry, home décor, personal services, pet gifts, dining and travel packages, and one-of-a-kind animal-themed HOPE chests created by 12 accomplished local artists.
For more information see events page 24.
