Episode 25 explores the affordable and accessible veterinary care and social work service provided by Columbus Humane's Essential Care Center. Rachel Finney, CEO, and Dr. Laura Advent, Chief Medical Officer, discuss why the center was created, who their target pet owners are, the services the provide along with pricing structures, and how others can follow this example.

The ability to afford veterinary care for our pets is not only income dependent. And with pet overpopulation in shelters, keeping animals in their homes helps everyone. Put away your judging cap and open up your mind to how we can help people and animals stay together.

Mentioned in this episode:

Keep it Humane Podcast Network

The Animal Welfare Junction is part of the Keep It Humane Podcast Network. Visit keepithumane.com/podcastnetwork to find us and our amazing animal welfare podcast partners.

Dr. G: Hi, and welcome to

the Animal Welfare Junction.

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This is your host, Dr.

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G, and our music is written

and produced by Mike Sullivan.

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On a previous podcast, we discussed the

importance of pet friendly housing and

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vet care for individuals experiencing

housing difficulties, as well as those

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in need of assistance due to domestic

violence and life events that can result

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in the inability to care for a pet.

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So today we're talking with our friends

at Columbus Humane about a service

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they're offering to the community

to assist both the individuals

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and pets when there is financial

instability and need for assistance.

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So our guests today are

Rachel Finney and Dr.

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Laura Advent.

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So welcome both to the

Animal Welfare Junction.

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Rachel Finney: Thank you for having us.

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Thank you.

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Dr. G: So to get started, let's

just start sharing your individual

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stories with our listeners.

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How about Rachel, you start us off

with your background and kind of what

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has led you to where you are today.

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Rachel Finney: Sure.

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Um, I went to Indiana university

and studied political science,

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psychology, sociology of business

and nonprofit management and wound

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up going with nonprofit management.

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My entire career has been in

nonprofit organizations and I

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started out working with homeless.

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people and those experiencing

poverty in South Central Indiana.

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I've worked with families whose children

needed organ and tissue transplants

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and ultimately wound up working in

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So 20 years now, uh, five years

as an executive director at the

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Union County Humane Society started

my career in animal welfare.

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And then I've been with

Columbus Humane for 15.

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Dr. G: And that's where I met you, uh,

like what, like 16, 17 years ago was

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at the Union County Humane Society.

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So it's been, it's been a long journey.

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So, Dr.

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, what can, huh?

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Sorry.

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Go ahead.

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Rachel Finney: Uh, it

has been a long journey.

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Some days are longer than others.

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Dr. G: So, Dr.

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Advent, what can you tell us about

your journey to veterinary medicine

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and kind of what has led you to be

part of the Columbus Humane team?

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Dr. Laura Advent: Yes, so, um, I went to

Ohio State University for my undergrad.

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I did do my master's in

public health there as well.

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And then I went on to vet school

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Shortly after I took a position in

general practice down in Circleville.

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And that was really eye opening for me

and helped me see a different part of

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veterinary medicine was pretty rural.

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Um, and so the, the patient and clientele

and their needs were very different

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than what you see in the big city.

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Um, I kind of continued to do

some contract work for different

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rural parts of the state.

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And then I ended up at Columbus Humane

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I've been here a little over five years.

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Um, and love it.

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It's been amazing.

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So now we're fully involved in

shelter medicine and then our

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newest venture into access to care.

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Dr. G: I love that you bring up

the importance of affordable and

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accessible care, especially to

rural facilities, because that's the

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majority of what we do in the Rascal

Unit, right, is just bring the care.

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Because we don't think about the not just

the inability of people to afford things,

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but just the access in general, right?

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You can have all the money in the

world, but if the facilities are not

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available, then it doesn't matter.

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So we're here primarily to discuss

this new venture, which is the

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essential care center and kind

of what services are offered.

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What can you tell us about

what the purpose of it is?

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Rachel Finney: So the essential

care center really has 3

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primary areas of programming.

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The 1st is a heavily

subsidized veterinary care.

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So we're providing wellness services

like spay neuter and vaccines

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and parasite prevention testing.

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But we're also offering low cost,

sick and injured care because you

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see, this is a huge area of need

in our metropolitan community.

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Second area of programming

is pet food assistance.

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So we offer pet food and supplies to

families who need some supplemental

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assistance, providing nutritious

food and supplies to their pets.

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And the 3rd area of programming is

actually about workforce development,

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because we really see that a critical

shortage in veterinary support

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staff is a big contributor to.

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for access to care in our community.

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So many practices in our area are

short staffed and aren't able to

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accommodate all of their clients

or the people who are seeking care.

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And if we want to provide more care and

access for our community, the answer is

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not simply opening a clinic that could

serve all of the folks in our community.

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It really is trying to help our

partner veterinary clinics, you

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know, rise to meet that demand.

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We can't do it alone.

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And so our workforce development

program is really about training

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veterinary assistants to hopefully

inspire and connect them with a path

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towards their registered veterinary

technician certifications and licensing.

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Um, so we're really trying to do, uh,

access to care, but, but approach it in

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a way that we're sort of wrapping around

all of the different types of needs.

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It's not one solution.

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That's going to get us

where we need to be.

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And so we tried to be really comprehensive

and bring it all under 1 proof.

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I also have a social worker at the central

care center, um, to try to help connect

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people with those multiple services.

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Dr. G: That's really important because

we are experiencing the veterinary

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shortage, but then staffing shortage,

and there's a lot of problems with

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the, the volume of animals that need

care and the inability of services

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are practices to provide services,

and that increases compassion fatigue.

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It increases the number of people leaving.

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the veterinary business just because

you know you just feel like if you can't

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help what are you doing and you just

go somewhere else and then that just

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increases the the problem so overall

why do you feel that this care center is

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important to the community like what are

you trying to solve I really feel like

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Rachel Finney: there are so many

animals in our community that

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don't just need an advocate.

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You know, we think about

advocating for homeless animals

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and making sure they have a voice.

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A lot of animals in our community have

a voice, they have an advocate, and

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that family just doesn't have access.

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They're already motivated and inspired

to provide great care to their pets.

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They don't need someone to tell them

they should get veterinary care.

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They need access to it and

to be able to afford it.

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So the essential care center is really

just furnishing access to what people

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already want, but don't have the

resources to accomplish on their own.

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They need some help.

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So, you know, providing

low cost veterinary care.

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Is such a critical need in our community.

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They're just particularly

for sick and injured care.

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You know, you can find reduced cost.

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They neuter or vaccinations, especially

if you're willing to wait for it.

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You know, there's there's a backlog and

a high demand, but you really cannot

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find low cost that can injure care.

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And so that was a primary focus

for us in this facility is how do

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we get people access to what they

already want and need and value.

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Dr. G: I visited a place that is primarily

a human service place that provides

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pet care and you guys are more of an

animal place facility that kind of helps

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with the with the people side of it.

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So how can people support your facility?

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Rachel Finney: I think it's so

important to acknowledge that

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people in this equation, right?

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Animal welfare organization.

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Yes, of course we are, but we're

also a human services agency.

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Part of that is that social work component

of course, but it's really acknowledging

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that pets are family and if we want

everyone to be healthy and successful

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and have those relationships built on

respect and resource that we need to be

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able to provide care for the whole family.

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One of my favorite things about the

essential care center's programming

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that hasn't yet launched it will

likely in the new calendar year.

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It's a one health clinic with partners

at the Ohio State University College

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of Nursing as well as College of Social

Work and College of Veterinary Medicine.

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Um, we'll be hosting on site a nurse

practitioner that will be able to

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provide a human healthcare screening

while our team provides that veterinary

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clinic screening for the animals.

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And it's just recognition that if we want

to be healthy, we need to do it together.

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And so finding ways to invite

people into this animal welfare

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organization and really make sure that

we're meeting their needs as well.

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Dr. G: Social work is super important.

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I interviewed Alicia Kennedy, who

is a social hearted veterinarian in

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Australia, and she deals primarily

with elderly patients, but just anybody

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that has financial difficulties.

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And it just shows the importance

of that human animal bond and the

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importance of taking care of the

animal and and the person because if we

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don't take care of the person and the

animal by default is going to suffer.

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Right.

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So, Dr.

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Advent, how do you feel about the

importance of that, of maintaining

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that human animal bond and then with

the fact that you guys mentor students

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Teaching the students that come in

about the importance of helping these

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animals and helping the community

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Dr. Laura Advent: Yeah, I think you know,

obviously it's it's critical kind of

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what Rachel said, a lot of the clientele

we're seeing both at the shelter and over

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at our essential care center are people

who are experiencing a lot of different

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Stressors or traumas or major life events.

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And they are just trying to

do what they can for their

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animal, just like a small step.

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But for them, their animal

may be all they have.

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Um, so we see a lot of people

in really dire strains.

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They're homeless, um,

their house burned down.

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Um, they've lost their job and all

they have is their dog or their cat.

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Um, and they mean everything to them.

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And so, What I can provide for that

client is really good care, but not,

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you know, that's accessible to them.

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That doesn't bankrupt them.

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Um, and they can feel like they're doing

something really good and strengthen

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that bond for them while also showing

some compassion and care for the person

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to, um, you know, a huge part of me in

exposing other veterinarians or students

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or whoever we welcome into our space

is just And You have to care about the

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person with the animal, um, and don't just

think about it and how can I help this

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animal, but how can I help this person?

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Um, so we see a lot of people who

have, you know, a lot of cats and

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it's like, well, you know, are there

other ways in which I can help you?

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Do you need access to food?

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Um, are you a little overwhelmed?

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Do you need access to

spay neuter services?

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Do you need access to maybe

surrendering some of your your

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population, things like that.

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But how do we help the person in

addition to helping the animal?

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That's really critical to success,

not just for that, that human animal

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bond, but for our community as well.

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Dr. G: I graduated a long time ago.

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I graduated in 99.

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And back then there was, uh, kind

of like a wide range of things that

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were made accessible to owners.

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And little by little, we shifted into this

whole mentality of gold standard of care

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in which a lot of students now feel that

if they don't offer everything that they

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are not providing proper care and we need

to kind of take that back and understand

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what actually, you know, meeting people

where they're at is more feasible

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and should be what we're offering.

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How do you help the students understand

that, you know, you don't have to do a

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CT for every patient that comes in with

with an ear infection, how you can provide

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good care to animals without, as you

say, bankrupting the client or making it

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feasible for them to offer the service.

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Dr. Laura Advent: Yeah, I will say it is

a hard mindset to break in some of these

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students because it's all they've been

exposed to for many is, you know, what

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they would do at a university where they

have all of these, you know, fancy tools

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and medical treatments provided to them.

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Um, so it, it, it is sometimes

a hard mindset to break, but

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that's where my shelter background

I think is really helpful.

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Um, I am used to practicing resource

driven care for a large volume of

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animals, and so, um, What I love doing

and I'm really passionate about is

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teaching that to veterinary students,

um, or new graduates about how you

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can be resource conscious and still

provide a really good quality of care.

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And so it's getting them to, to change

the way that they think about things.

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Um, you know, they're just like, Oh, I

want to run blood work, but it's like,

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but why, what are you getting out of that?

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What does that help you with in

terms of treatment or how you're

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going to address this animal?

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Um, Getting them really to think

through what they're doing.

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Why are they're choosing to run a test?

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Why are they're choosing to give a

medication and oftentimes you see the

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light bulbs go off and they're like, yeah,

I actually don't know why I'm running

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that test or why I'm doing that thing.

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And, um, you know, helping them

be like, well, what about this?

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What about this option?

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Um, And so sometimes their, their

default is, Oh, you know, I don't know.

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Let's send it to a specialist.

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And like, well, they're not

going to have money for that.

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So what is, what is plan B?

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How can we provide good care to this

animal and pain and suffering for this

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animal, but also within this person's

financial means, and maybe they don't

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really have anything else other than what

they paid for in, in this appointment.

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Um, I think that is a big reason

why we went with fixed pricing

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for the essential care center.

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Okay.

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Is I wanted the veterinarian to practice

over there to feel like they could provide

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really good quality of care regardless

of the financial situation of the client.

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So with the fixed pricing, you know,

it's, it's one flat fee and that

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gets you access to the veterinarian

that gets you an exam that gets you

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any diagnostics or medical treatment

that the veterinarian feels like is

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essential to providing good quality care.

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Um, I think too often there is a myth

that low cost care is substandard.

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And I don't like that.

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And I don't agree with that.

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And so we're trying to also kind of

bust that myth a little bit and that.

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Just because it's low cost doesn't

mean that it's poor quality care.

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We can still do really high

quality care at a lower price.

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Dr. G: And that's how

also we practice, right?

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We are doing that's what I like to

change from high volume sterilization

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to high quality, high volume

sterilization, because there needs

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to be that understanding that just

because you're able to, uh, take

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advantage of of proper budgeting

and moving money properly, right?

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You can still offer high quality service

at a low cost and explaining this

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to the students is just monumental.

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We have students and we have

had, uh, Associate veterinarians

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that have that mentality of

well, this needs to be referred.

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You know, it has a eye problem It

needs to go to an ophthalmologist.

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It has this and some people don't

understand some students don't understand

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that we are it We are the referral we

are where they came from because perhaps

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they went to uh, Regular veterinarian

that and they paid for an examination

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and they were offered a list of things

and it was too expensive and they are

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going to come into a low cost facility

just because it's the last ditch effort.

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So we have to learn to work with them.

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I like the idea of like, Ohio State

has a spectrum of care and they're

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trying to change that mentality, but

I think it's going to be a long time

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to to get people to change from where.

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From where they've been going to.

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How do you help as far as, when a

person comes in, let's say that even the,

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the cost of what you're offering is not

enough, or they need additional stuff.

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How do you assist with,

with those situations?

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Dr. Laura Advent: So those are some

things that are challenging, right?

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Because our, our clinic, we wish it

could do everything, but it can't.

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So, um, we wish we could do emergency

services or orthopedic surgeries or some

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of these things that people are seeking.

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We just, we just can't.

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Um, and so we're trying to focus on what

we know we can do really well, um, and

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improve access to care, but we acknowledge

that we don't, we can't do everything.

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Um, and so having really good partnerships

within our clinic that we can help

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refer out, um, Is really important

and also just setting expectations

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for that client working through what

are the different options look like?

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How do we get you set up for success?

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You and you and your animal?

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Um, but we know that we aren't going

to be the answer for everybody.

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And so it's just helping that unique

situation and that client and that

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patient, you know, how can we help you?

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And so we never want to say no to somebody

like, Oh, no, we're not the answer.

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We're not going to help you.

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It's like, well, maybe we aren't

the best person to help you, but let

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me find the Let me find how we can

help you or who can help you best.

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Um, we don't want anybody to leave our

facility at either location and feel like

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they weren't helped in some capacity.

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So, um, I won't say I have a straight

answer as to how we help everybody

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with everything, but we try to be

creative and solutions oriented.

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And it's like, okay, well, maybe

I can hook you up here or do

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this, um, put you in connection

with this person or this clinic.

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I know this.

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facility does this at a lower cost.

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Um, so really just trying to be

creative, solutions oriented and

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finding unique ways to say yes to

people, even if we aren't the answer.

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Rachel Finney: I just

want to follow up on that.

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We may not be able to do

the complex procedure that's

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necessary for that individual

patient, but we can do the exam.

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We can do the diagnostics

to give them that diagnosis.

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Right?

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And so the, the very low cost

fixed upfront cost to get that

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information is really helpful.

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So it can, it can diminish some of the

expense of going to another facility.

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So, yeah, we might have to refer it out.

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Maybe we didn't solve that for every.

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Patient, but what we can do at a

low cost is going to help them be

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more successful, at least have the

information about what's next so

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they can make an informed decision.

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Dr. G: And another concept that

is really difficult to talk

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about, but it's like the, when

euthanasia may be the answer, right?

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And I think that social workers can

play a very important part in helping

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with individuals, both with the decision

process, as well as with the acceptance

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and the, and the aftermath that comes

after having to euthanize a pet.

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So how do you see you guys

dealing with those situations?

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Rachel Finney: The social work

component is so important and.

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Helping guide people through

informed and compassionate

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decision making is so critical.

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If you know that your pet is struggling

and you're trying to figure out how

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can you relieve that suffering or set

them up for health with whatever fixed

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resources are there, to have someone

guide you through that decision making

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process and support you through it and

the follow up for it is a really important

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part of the work that we're doing.

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There's this, um, sometimes mindset,

particularly for animal people kind

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of use air quotes there, right?

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It's all about the animal and

what's in the best interest of

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the animal, but it is always about

what's in the best interest of both.

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And we need to have.

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Um, sometimes difficult conversations

about quality of life, not just for

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the animal, but also quality of life

for the person, you know, behavioral

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euthanasia, for example, what people are

trying to manage just to have basic day

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to day interactions with their animal

or out in the community with their pet.

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You know, we need to be a resource

to help guide people through

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those difficult decisions.

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Dr. G: And I like that because

yeah, let's bring the concept

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of behavioral euthanasia.

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I mean, it is a health condition, right?

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It's a mental health condition.

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And we have to think about the fact of the

safety of the owners of the individuals.

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But we also have to think about

the overall well being of that

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animal, you know, an animal that is

aggressive, that is living in fear.

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It's not, it's not well being.

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So we have to make

decisions that are best.

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And that is a place where I think

the combination of the veterinarian.

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And the social worker can help an owner

navigate through that really, really

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difficult decision and make it and

eliminate the guilt out of it, right?

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Because we always feel guilty when we have

to make a decision of euthanasia, but it

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should not be guilty because we are making

a decision that is that is best for them.

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The other concept is the ability to

care because we may be able to see a

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patient and come up with a diagnostic

and come up with a treatment, but we

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have to take into consideration the

human's ability to provide set care.

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Uh, 1 of the examples that I

always bring up is diabetes, right?

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Okay.

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So we diagnosed a cat with diabetes and

okay, here's some insulin 1st, the cost

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of the insulin, but 2nd, the ability

of the individual to to administer it.

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And that's something that Dr.

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Kennedy had discussed about

part of her program is trying

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to figure out ways that we can.

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Help with the ability

for people to offer care.

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So, for instance, providing somebody that

can visit a home to walk an animal or to

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give medications or something like that.

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Do you foresee your program having

kind of like a volunteer service or

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something that helps people administer

the care that their animals may provide?

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Rachel Finney: That would be awesome.

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Uh, you know, we have to start

by walking or maybe crawling

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before walking and running.

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Uh, you know, we have grand visions for

what a central care center could be and

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will be, but we have to get really good

and very efficient at doing what we're

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doing now before we expand services.

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Because the worst thing would to be

trying to offer everything and do

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all of it a little poorly, right.

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Or not be able to follow through.

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And one of the, one of the really key.

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Ways that we can keep things affordable

is to do a high volume of those services.

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And for us to do a high volume of

anything, we have to be really good

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at it and really efficient at it.

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So, um, in terms of helping people in the

home setting, we're having discussions

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with one organization that works with a

homebound population that has a lot of

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pets and they utilize volunteers to help

with transportation and support services.

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For the humans, and we were starting

to have conversations or how could we

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extend that to essential care center

clients who maybe have some challenges

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and either implementing treatments

like you're talking about, or or

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transportations to and from the clinic.

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Is that kind of creative partnerships

that we need to have to be able to, to

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reach as many people and pets as possible.

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So definitely opens a collaboration

of all kinds, but, but being realistic

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about what we can accomplish,

especially as we get started.

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Dr. G: A lot of veterinarians have

that, that issue with when the

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client comes in and cannot afford

things and, uh, the concept of

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referral and that kind of stuff.

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So how can the.

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local practices, like any veterinarians

that are listening to this podcast, how

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can they benefit from you guys facility?

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Dr. Laura Advent: That's a good question.

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You know, I, I think there was

some hesitation for us too, when we

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originally started this, that, that local

practitioners were going to feel like we

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were trying to, to steal their clients or

that we were, you know, offering something

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lower, undercut them in some way.

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And what we really found is just, there's

this enormous need in our community.

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And.

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General practices are

just they're so busy.

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They can't they can't even

address it on their own.

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Right?

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So, um, there are people who are at their

doors and calling their phones constantly

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trying to access care and they're

struggling to see the amount of patients

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that they already have established.

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And so, um, the feedback we've gotten

is, oh, thank you for doing this.

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And thank you for opening this clinic

because you know, they're drowning in

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work and trying to see as many patients

as they can and do what they can, but you

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know, they're, they're struggling to even

get new clients in for weeks or months.

419

And so overwhelmingly the

feedback has been, thank you for.

420

For opening this clinic and in

trying to help this population.

421

Um, you know, kind of the

feedback we can give to local

422

practitioners is that we're here.

423

We're a resource.

424

Um, how can we help them?

425

So if they have unique situations

where maybe they have a client who

426

has come to them with, um, that needs

a dental or it needs spay neuter

427

services, and they can't afford

their, you know, um, What it is there.

428

I hope they're open and willing

to be able to refer to us.

429

Um, we are part of the community and

all of the general practices in our

430

community are also part of the community.

431

We want to work together and I think

that's critical that we are partners

432

in this and we work together and we

communicate well and we refer to one

433

another and acknowledge that, you know,

each practice has its place and it, you

434

know, has its thing that it does best.

435

Um, and so I hope kind of how we can

help local practices is just that we are

436

a resource for their clientele as well.

437

Um, and let us help you and

find ways we can help you.

438

And then we'll do the same back.

439

Right.

440

And so the things that we can't help

or treat, you know, refer their way

441

to, it's to get them care, but really

being partners in our community.

442

Rachel Finney: And 2 other things

I would say we offer to our partner

443

clinics, veterinary assistance as

part of our Rachel Ray Foundation

444

pathways to careers in animal health.

445

Yeah.

446

Clinics can participate by

hosting students for their

447

90 hour on the job training.

448

As part of their curriculum, and then

they have the first opportunity to

449

make an offer to that that student.

450

So we want our clinics to be

well staffed and it was a huge

451

driver for our programming.

452

So definitely take advantage

of hosting students posting

453

opportunities at your clinics to

the students who are graduating.

454

That's an enormous

partnership opportunity.

455

The 2nd thing that I would say is.

456

If you have a client who has prescription

food for their pet that they cannot

457

afford, please check with the essential

care center because we frequently

458

get donated prescription diets that

of course we cannot distribute.

459

To, um, to clients that don't

have a prescription for it.

460

And so we have in our warehouse right

now, you know, hundreds, if not more than

461

thousands of pounds of prescription diet.

462

So if you have a client who needs a

particular diet and they're struggling

463

to afford it, please send them our way.

464

And we would love to get

them that food free of cost.

465

Dr. G: That is fantastic,

'cause as a veterinarian.

466

I mean, I see that right.

467

We'll see the cat with the

urinary problems and we tell them

468

this is the best diet for you.

469

And they're like, well, we, I

can't afford that because I can

470

get a 10, 50 pound bag of this.

471

Whereas the bag that you're telling

me is 30 dollars for an 8 pound bag.

472

So that is a, that is a great

service for, for the community.

473

You brought up the dentals, which I think

is such an important service because so

474

many animals suffer from horrible dental

disease, and there's not a lot of good

475

options, especially if there's not a good.

476

a lot of good low cost dental options.

477

So in addition to that, it's like

what, what overall are the services

478

that the facility can offer?

479

Dr. Laura Advent: Sure.

480

So from an appointment base wellness

and preventative services for

481

both your dog and your cat, um,

our wellness service bundles give

482

you all of your core vaccines.

483

Um, you get dewormer, you get,

um, for dogs, heartworm tests,

484

you get one month of flea and tick

medication and heartworm prevention.

485

So really providing all

around comprehensive care

486

with that wellness visit.

487

Um, we also, with our sick and injured

care, see, you know, what we would

488

classify almost as urgent care.

489

That's kind of how we want

people to think of us when it

490

comes to sick and injured care.

491

So, you know, you woke up and your cat is

sneezing and has boogers, or, um, maybe

492

your dog is limping all of a sudden,

or it's having, you know, Some vomiting

493

and diarrhea and things like that.

494

Um, for surgical services, really,

we're focusing on spay and neuter

495

and dentals as our big things.

496

We're also offering some mass removals.

497

Um, in addition, and I think

something really unique that we're

498

doing in particular with Mass

removals is, um, histopathology or

499

or, um, is included in the price.

500

So we see that often where they

can afford maybe to get the mass

501

removed, but not actually have the

testing done to find out what it is.

502

And that impacts care.

503

And so that's included all in the price.

504

So, again, really important for us

that if you can get in our building

505

and have access to that care, then I

want to give you the best of what I've

506

got without you having to pay more.

507

Dr. G: I love that because that's

something that we do as well is biopsy.

508

histopathology is not an option.

509

Because a lot of individuals

think of it as well.

510

If it's cancer, I'm not going

to do anything about it.

511

Well, that's not the only purpose of it.

512

And it doesn't fail that

people will say that.

513

But then 3 months later, something

happens and then they wonder what it was.

514

Right?

515

So there's there's a lot of benefits

to knowing not just I'm not going

516

to do anything if it is cancer.

517

So what are what are the costs that people

can expect when they come to the facility?

518

Rachel Finney: So for our wellness

services for dogs, including that

519

heartworm test, it's just 55.

520

So they pay that 55 when

they walk in the door.

521

And then all of those things happen

afterwards are, you know, wellness bundles

522

for cats are there in the 30s and the

50s as well, depending on whether or not

523

we're doing viral testing for that cat.

524

Um, our sick and injured services

have just two price points, 60 for

525

urinary issues, for eye, um, eye

infections, respiratory infections,

526

for, um, help me out here, are we

527

Dr. Laura Advent: Lameness, exams,

um, and then our upper tier is the 120

528

price point, and those are things for

Vomiting and diarrhea and wound care.

529

Um, so those are really

our basic price points.

530

Um, spay and neuter, um, is

pretty competitive as well.

531

Um, not based by weight,

but just, um, dog and cat.

532

Um, and then our dentals are,

there's a cleaning price and

533

then one with extractions.

534

Um, so we wanted to be very cognizant

about with the dentals, um, That you may

535

pull one teeth or you may be pulling 10

and again, you don't want to get into a

536

situation where somebody can't afford.

537

They can maybe get the dental

cleaning, but not afford all

538

of the care that's needed.

539

So, um, really important for

us to have fixed fixed pricing

540

Rachel Finney: there as well.

541

Yeah, so what that means is when

you come in and you pay that,

542

say, 120 dollars for vomiting and

diarrhea care, it doesn't matter.

543

What diagnostics or medications or go

home supplies that animal, um, that animal

544

gets as a result of doctor's discretion.

545

That price is still the same

and you pay it when you walk in.

546

So that's it.

547

You just need to figure out

how do I get that 120 for care?

548

And then we take it from there.

549

Dr. G: Yeah, we have that similar

approach as far as the dentals with the

550

extractions, right, we have kind of like a

routine cleaning minor, which is just like

551

one or two flop teeth that come right out.

552

And then an advance, which is however

many extractions they need, because

553

we don't want people to have to pick

and choose which tooth to remove.

554

Right, right, right, exactly.

555

Yeah, if a tooth is damaged, and it

needs to come out, it needs to come out.

556

So it eliminates kind of like that.

557

Right.

558

that concern, uh, about what is the

expected wait time for people to be

559

able to get in for an appointment?

560

Rachel Finney: Well, we just had

news, uh, right, rather significant

561

media of our official opening.

562

And so it's not uncommon for us to

exceed 100 voicemails in just the

563

period of time where we're on lunch.

564

So we're really inundated right

now because it's a, It's just been

565

announced as a service to our community.

566

Um, but really sick and injured care

is going to be in the same week.

567

And, um, hopefully the next day or two,

surgery is starting to get pretty full.

568

Uh, what we're seeing gets scheduled out

and we're, you know, we're learning and

569

we're going, this is brand new for us.

570

So we've made some schedule changes

and tweaks to try to accommodate more

571

people throughout the week for surgery.

572

Um, what is our lead time right now?

573

Do you think for surgery?

574

Dr. Laura Advent: So we're trying to

open the schedule only a month at a

575

time because we don't want to get too

far ahead of ourselves and increase the

576

risk of people not being able to show

up or forget about their appointment.

577

Um, and so we're trying to to

do, you know, we have September

578

and that's what's open right now.

579

So I would say if people call and they

can't get in within that month, check back

580

frequently, because then we'll open up.

581

The next month.

582

Um, and again, we're just

trying to get our feet wet.

583

And so now that we we've got a little bit

going, we know, okay, well, this is we

584

can increase here or change this around.

585

So we're trying to increase

the amount that we're doing.

586

Um, I would say for preventative care

within the month and spay, neuter and

587

dental, I would say probably Um, Okay.

588

The goal is to get you

in within a month or two.

589

Um, as well, because we know that the

longer we delay it, if you're open and

590

wanting to do it, the longer we delay it,

the more likely they are not to do it.

591

Um, and so we really want to

be able to offer those services

592

and get and get animals care.

593

So we don't want the

lead time to be too long.

594

And that's really important for us.

595

Dr. G: How can people get

access to the services like

596

what website or phone number?

597

Like, how can they get ahold of you guys?

598

Rachel Finney: Yeah, Columbushumane.

599

org is the best website and you can make

appointments for wellness care right on

600

our website and also have access to set

up an appointment for food services.

601

So if you need pet food or supplies,

you can schedule that online as well.

602

We are considering some walk in hours.

603

We haven't implemented them

yet for sick and injured care.

604

Um, that requires a phone call to

the essential care center to schedule

605

so that we know that we've got you

aligned with the right services.

606

Dr. G: A concern that some

people that come to us have is

607

that they, they need low cost

resources, but they do not qualify.

608

Right, because they're not on financial

assistance, government financial

609

assistance, and some people don't

realize that being middle income

610

doesn't mean that you have a lot

of extra income, disposable income.

611

So, do you guys have income

qualifications for your services?

612

Rachel Finney: We do not.

613

And it's so important, um, because

when it comes down to it, your

614

income really has very little to

do with how much cash you have.

615

Uh, you know, there's people who are

overextended or who've experienced

616

tragedy or trauma, you know, maybe

they've had personal health crises or

617

housing instability, or they are a single

parent with extensive childcare expenses,

618

and maybe they You know, could afford

their pet when they got it and they can

619

afford basic vaccines and annual care.

620

But now the animals limping and they

can't afford the services beyond that.

621

So about 40 percent of Americans cannot

afford an unexpected 400 expense.

622

That's 40 percent of Americans.

623

So that is, that does not mean

people experiencing extreme

624

poverty, 40 percent of Americans.

625

So, I mean, 400 unexpected, that's

pretty easy to do at a veterinary clinic.

626

Yeah.

627

So, um, we need to be.

628

Flexible and open to

anyone who needs our care.

629

So we've been really forward and out

front about saying this is a clinic

630

and these are services for people

who cannot afford care elsewhere.

631

If you have an established relationship

with a veterinary clinic, we

632

want you to maintain that we want

you to go to private clinics.

633

We want you to go into all of

those partners in the community.

634

If you cannot afford care

there, please come see us.

635

There's not an income amount

or, you know, you don't have

636

to prove poverty to come in.

637

You just simply need to say,

I can't afford care elsewhere.

638

Let's, let's get you

the help that you need.

639

Anything is.

640

Applying for and getting access to

government assistance is not a fast thing.

641

So, even if you are someone who qualifies,

it doesn't mean that you are part

642

of one of those systems or programs.

643

And so, for you to be card carrying

that you have this means you had

644

to kind of jump through a lot of

hoops and get through a lot of

645

barriers, even to qualify for that.

646

And so there are many people in

our community that do not have.

647

Access to those government

programs that need them.

648

And so what I found is that we would,

as an organization, be spending a lot of

649

time, a lot of resources, sort of proving

or verifying people's income when, in

650

fact, that process really is a barrier

to people who already qualify for those

651

government services to access your care.

652

So, you know, what are you really

trying to do and making someone prove

653

that they are poor enough to have your.

654

Your programs or services, you may weed

out 1 or 2 sort of bargain shoppers

655

who have all the resources necessary to

provide care when it comes down to it.

656

That sort of.

657

Scheming person who's taken advantage

of your services got their cats.

658

Diarrhea treated.

659

Okay.

660

I'm not, you know, if you're going

to work that hard to abuse the

661

system so that your pet can get

care, I mean, okay, moving on, right?

662

Like, who's next?

663

Why would we work so hard and spend

so much time in resource vetting

664

people when the reward is that people

are getting care for their pets?

665

I don't, it's not worth it to me.

666

Dr. G: And I see it as well with people

that have multiple animals, right,

667

because we're experiencing a crisis

with pet overpopulation, and there

668

are so many animals in shelters, and

shelters are just overextended, there

669

are smaller rescue groups, basically

hoarding animals, and it's because of

670

the cost of animal care, I mean, it's a,

it's a huge problem for people to take

671

more animals into their home because

of the cost of care, and if we can

672

potentially assist somebody that you.

673

Can offer a loving home and care and

feed, you know, two, three dogs, if we can

674

offer them, you know, affordable services,

then I think that that is helping not

675

just the individual and the animals,

but just the overall shelter community

676

with this huge crisis of overpopulation.

677

Rachel Finney: It's true.

678

And when we look at, um, uh, clients

who are utilizing our pet food

679

assistance program, the average

households that we serve has six pets.

680

You know, if you're someone who maybe

doesn't have a lot of resources, but you

681

have a cat or a dog, you could probably

figure out how to get food or, you know,

682

vaccinations for that single animal.

683

But if you have two or three or

four or five, it's going to become

684

increasingly more difficult.

685

And we'll have, you know, folks who

react to that and say, well, gosh,

686

you know, they can't afford it.

687

They shouldn't have that many animals.

688

But then let's pause for a moment.

689

Look how that household got six pets.

690

Maybe, you know, the single woman had

two pets and her sister and her sister's

691

children moved in with her and they

had two pets and then, um, you know,

692

the next door neighbor went to jail

and now that dog who was abandoned

693

is part of the household and you have

somebody who's really caring, really

694

extending themselves and their resources

to do the very best that they can, who

695

absolutely see pets as their family.

696

Why wouldn't we help that family?

697

You know, why are they not

deserving of that companionship?

698

Why are they're, they're being incredibly

resourceful and pooling, you know, their

699

combined resources to the best they can.

700

We should help them.

701

It's not a matter of judgment.

702

Um, and I'll say too, you know,

all those animal people out there

703

that are prepared to judge what you

haven't gotten vaccines for your pet.

704

You haven't gotten wellness care.

705

You let it get this sick.

706

this far extended, just

pause for a moment.

707

So everyone out there listening,

are you up to date on your own

708

annual exam, your personal wellness?

709

Have you gotten your

mammogram, your colonoscopy?

710

Have you done, you know, and

most people kind of get sheepish

711

and go, well, no, I haven't.

712

Well then what the heck?

713

Why are you judging?

714

Why?

715

What are you judging?

716

It doesn't mean you don't love yourself.

717

If you haven't gotten

your mammogram, right?

718

Things happen.

719

It doesn't mean that you

don't love your spouse.

720

If they, you haven't insisted that they

go forward and get that colonoscopy or

721

other screening that they need, right?

722

We have to be kind and compassionate

and realize Life is hard and there

723

are a lot of things competing for our

resources, our time and attention.

724

And so if somebody gets to our

doorstep, our first words are,

725

wow, thank you for coming here.

726

You are the hero, right?

727

Like you did this, you've got

your animal here, you know,

728

let's, let's work with you.

729

I don't, we don't have time or

resources as a movement, as a

730

profession to sit in judgment.

731

Move on.

732

What's happening?

733

How are we going to help this animal?

734

How are we going to help this person?

735

So just check your

judgment, just leave it.

736

Yeah, sometimes

737

Dr. G: I think of like some of the

people that have multiple animals, you

738

know, as you said, like things happen.

739

So somebody may have taken a stray and

decided I'm going to give this dog a home.

740

And then all of a sudden the

dog had six puppies because it

741

was pregnant when they got it.

742

And they decided that they don't want

to put that burden on someone else.

743

They don't want to take

the animals to the shelter.

744

So they want to keep those animals

and they have this space and the

745

ability to, to house and care for them.

746

But having seven animals in the

house, it's super expensive,

747

even just the general wellness,

even if they're just getting core

748

vaccines and, and nothing else.

749

So, again, we need to think about

how helping those people is helping

750

the community in general, because

that's six dogs that are not going

751

to end up in the shelter world.

752

That's not six dogs that are

going to end up in the street.

753

Or end up abused and abandoned

and, you know, all the

754

repercussions that come from it.

755

So, yeah, looking at the, looking

at everything without those judgment

756

glasses and just saying, okay, I'm not

here to judge you about how you got

757

here is how can we move on and help?

758

So, what are, what are the essential

care centers short and long term goals?

759

Rachel Finney: In this short time, it's

really to learn and grow this model, to

760

understand it fully, to vet it, and to

make sure that it's completely viable.

761

We believe that it is.

762

And once we have demonstrated its

viability and we've become as efficient as

763

we can be, um, and extended our resources.

764

further out, maybe develop

some more service offerings.

765

We really see this as scalable.

766

There's an estimated 70, 000

pets in Franklin County alone who

767

have never seen a veterinarian.

768

And so one facility that's offering

these services is not going to be

769

enough to meet the need, especially

as our community grows with all of

770

the expansion and new jobs and new.

771

People moving into our community

that infrastructure is not there

772

to support all of the need.

773

And so I think the the actual clinic

itself and its programs and services is

774

scalable, not only within Franklin County

for multiple locations, but to help.

775

Address and give a model to other

communities throughout the country,

776

because the challenges that we have

in Columbus around workforce shortages

777

or food instability or lack of

access to low cost veterinary care,

778

they are not unique to Columbus.

779

So, once we have vetted this model, our

intention is to help it grow around the

780

country and share the tools and resources

that we have with other communities.

781

Dr. G: Do you have need for volunteers

and for additional staff members?

782

And if so, how can people find

out about that information?

783

Rachel Finney: We do utilize

volunteers, um, certainly at the

784

shelter and man, do we need more?

785

So please raise your hands and

we'd love to work with you.

786

Um, at the essential care center

right now, our volunteers are

787

engaged in pet food distribution.

788

So really helping us, um,

manage, sort and store.

789

donated pet food and then get it

to people, um, you know, Monday

790

through Friday and high volume

vaccine clinics, um, once a month.

791

So volunteers help us facilitate

that and the future we'll have

792

more volunteer opportunities.

793

But again, we're learning our

system, and becoming efficient.

794

And we want to make sure we do that and

streamline before we invite volunteers

795

and so we know that we're creating a

really good positive experience for them.

796

So more news to come, but right

now, um, pet food assistance is

797

where we utilize volunteer support

at the essential care center.

798

Dr. G: I wish you all

the success in the world.

799

I'm looking forward to seeing how

everything grows and how everything

800

expands because it's a really

important need for the community and

801

it is important in a lot of different

communities, special rural communities.

802

So, I'm hoping that you guys are

successful and then, like, places in

803

Southern Ohio, for instance, where

there's like, just so much lack of

804

veterinary care that places like

that can develop similar systems.

805

So, in closing, is there anything

that you guys want to share that we

806

forgot to mention or that would be

important for the public to know?

807

Rachel Finney: Well, one thing I want to

say is thank you for the work that you're

808

doing and sharing this message across

the nation and the work you're doing,

809

particularly in rural communities in Ohio.

810

We need more collaborations and

more, uh, more professionals like

811

yourself that are doing this work.

812

So thank you.

813

Dr. G: Well, it was very educational,

very informational, and I'm hoping

814

that our listeners Not just the public,

but also veterinarians and people in

815

the veterinary community understand

the importance of this service and

816

how they can utilize you guys, how you

guys can benefit mutually from them.

817

So thank you again for, for being

part of the, of this episode and

818

for everybody that's listening.

819

Thank you so much for listening

and thank you so much for caring.

820

Rachel Finney: Thank you.

821

Thank you.