family life MOBILE VET
Dr. Wendy McClelland visits her four-legged patients in their owners’ homes. PHOTO BY ASHLEY ALCANTARA/CALGARY JOURNAL
Straight to your door Vets To Go makes house calls
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Ashely Alcantara aalcantara@cjournal.ca
oing to the vet can be a stressful ordeal for both animals and their owners. Animals tend to go through anxiety for many different reasons, and a visit to the veterinarian can sometimes be an animal’s biggest stressor. For some animals it’s the car ride there or being in the office surrounded by other animals. Some animals just hate being poked and probed by a stranger. Pet owner Megan Wozniak said: “My dog hasn’t been to the vet in years; he hates it there. “When he comes home, he just isn’t himself and I can’t bear to see him like that.” For most pet owners, the thought of their animals in distress is hard to deal with. Vets To Go aims to deliver stressfree veterinary care in the comfort of your home with their mobile services. Dr. Wendy McClelland, founder of Vets To Go, centered her 18
FEB 2013
calgaryjournal.ca
company around quality of life for the vets, pets and their owners. McClelland and her staff make house calls, which eliminate the stress of the vet’s office. During their visits they are able to provide services from nail trimming to taking small lumps off. “It’s amazing what we can do with them at home with them just relaxed,” said McClelland. “I think you can do better care when you can see them in their own environment.” Donna Creasey chose home care for her multiple cats. She said this is because of her cat Oscar who has Chrohn’s disease. Creasey said: “With Chrohn’s disease, taking him into the vet we would come home and go through a cycle where his disease would be worse because of the stress. “At-home care works for us. I wouldn’t go back, not now.” McClelland said, “They don’t see you as a vet; they see you as just a strange house guest who pets them and gives them treats. “If I can leave the house and know that I provided an experience that is better than they would in a clinic, I’m happy.”