Hearts Alive Village Opens the First Nonprofit, Full-Service Veterinary Clinic in Nevada
Hearts Alive Village Las Vegas (HAVLV) is opening a low-cost, high-quality veterinary clinic in Las Vegas, Nevada this fall. The full-service clinic located at 3250 N Decatur, will provide reasonably priced veterinary care to community animals as well as adoptable animals through the rescue and other nonprofit rescue organizations.
It is estimated roughly 140,000 people living with pets in the Las Vegas area struggle to meet the basic needs of their families. Too often, pet parents are forced to make a difficult decision. Faced with unreasonable veterinary bills, many owners will either have to let their pet suffer or euthanize them for a treatable condition. Some owners will surrender their pets to the shelter in the hopes that they will be cared for. Sadly, the outcome is often tragic for animals entering the shelter with an emergency medical condition.
Since day one, Hearts Alive Village has been focused on keeping pets in their original homes whenever possible. This is a concept called “community sheltering.” Through our pet food pantry, Kendall’s Kupboard, we provide food for approximately 1,000 families struggling financially. Over the last five years, Hearts Alive Village has received roughly 25 calls per week asking for assistance with medical costs. Though several outside veterinary clinics have generously worked with the organization to provide more affordable care, not having our own clinic has seriously limited the number of animals Hearts Alive Village can help. “No animal should ever suffer or be surrendered because of their parent’s inability to afford veterinary care,” said Executive Director Christy Stevens. “Every year, tens of thousands of animals find themselves in our valley’s shelters and rescues. This clinic will allow us to provide a more comprehensive solution for at-risk animals, preventing those pets from entering the system in the first place.”
The Pet Adoption and Wellness center is at the corner of Cheyenne and Decatur, strategically located to serve the population that needs it most. This 8393 square foot building is on .66 acres of land and is comprised of a full-service veterinary clinic, grooming facility, and boarding facility.
The Veterinary Clinic will provide:
- Examinations
- Vaccinations and other preventative care
- Diagnostics including bloodwork, x-ray, and ultrasound
- Spay and neuter
- General surgery
- Dental care
- Basic dermatology
- Geriatric care
- Humane euthanasia
- A certified fear free environment
The full-service grooming facilities include tables, baths, kennels, and dryers with accommodations for up to 2 groomers. As an adoption center, 40 living spaces will provide certified fear free sheltering and rehabilitation for homeless dogs and cats and limited boarding for people and their pets experiencing a crisis.
There will be at least one full-time vet on staff along with certified vet technicians, veterinary assistants, animal care attendants, groomers, animal enrichment specialists, and an intake manager. A number of local for-profit veterinarians have offered their services pro-bono to assist at the clinic as well.
The clinic is not meant to be a competitor of for-profit veterinary clinics, but rather a resource for those who cannot afford to patronize them or are unable to qualify for credit. Clients will be pre-screened for financial need and services will be available to those meeting specific criteria. This will allow Hearts Alive Village to be a resource not only to the community, but to veterinary clinics unable to provide services at a discount.
Although our low costs will make care available to a wider population, there will still be pet owners who have no ability to pay. The Village Fundis a program used to provide free veterinary care for owners who are unable to afford even our low-cost services. This funding will come from grantsand community donations.
Community support will be essential to the clinic’s success and we have launched a Veterinary Equipment Drive to stock the clinic with everything from an Ultrasound machine to digital thermometers. Donors can select items to donate at: www.heartsalivevillage.shop
“A preventative resource is the best medicine for the crisis animals are facing in our community.” said Stevens. “For us, it has to be about more than rescue.”