Veterinary Equipment
As we envision our mission into the future, we need to increase capacity to provide even more access to affordable care – it’s a matter of life or death for many pets. Additional veterinary equipment is the first step.
Access to pet veterinary care is dire and difficult these days. Veterinary supply costs have risen 40%, unwanted litters are being born left and right (due to a backlog of spay/neuter surgeries dating to the early days of the pandemic), veterinary pharmaceuticals are on persistent backorder, appointments are booking out months in advance, and more. These barriers make veterinary care nearly impossible to afford, let alone access. Many cherished family pets are going without care, leading to suffering and heartbreak. This is happening across the country, and Southern Maine is no exception. The need has never been greater, and meanwhile, the lives of thousands of pets lie in the balance.
In 2018, AWS built an on-site Community Veterinary Clinic to offer affordable and accessible care to homeless pets and pets in our community; pets who otherwise would not receive the care they need and deserve. Our clinic sees more than 10,000 pets each year, but it isn’t enough. We are so busy we must turn patients away, refer them to other hospitals for advanced procedures and send diagnostic lab work out to be processed. These delays and extra costs can potentially be catastrophic to a pet’s care and be unaffordable for our clients. And it’s only getting worse! We need to find efficiencies so we can do more.
As we envision our mission into the future, we need to increase capacity to provide even more access to affordable care – it’s a matter of life or death for many pets. This is where you come in.
We’ve set an ambitious goal to procure six new pieces of veterinary equipment to increase our life-saving capabilities. We ask for your help securing this equipment. Please know that ALL gifts make a huge difference and are gratefully appreciated. Naming opportunities are available for those making a substantial investment.
(Second) Electrocardiograph Machine – $1,600
Used to assess and monitor blood pressure, heart and respiratory rates and oxygenation levels, access to a second machine reduces wait times in critical cases and improves outcomes.
Bair Hugger – $1,900
Supports temperature regulation during long operations and after surgery to make recovery quicker and safer.
Slit Lamp – $2,000
Used to provide advanced ophthalmology care, speeding up diagnosis, treatment and healing.
Microscope with Camera and Monitor – $4,000
Used every day to diagnose hundreds of conditions, this advanced microscope with camera and screen allows for quicker diagnoses and serves as a collaborative training tool.
Ultrasound Transducer Probe (Small) – $12,000
Used for imaging hearts of puppies, kittens and small cats, a necessary tool for pets presenting with cardiac issues or heart murmur.
Hematology Analyzer – $15,000
Used to analyze blood samples in house, prior to invasive procedures or when a pet presents with illness, allowing for faster diagnoses of advanced conditions and providing a safer surgical experience.
As you can see, our list is substantial, and so is our commitment to the health and wellbeing of our community’s pets. We envision a community where pets and their families thrive together, and we do that by providing affordable and accessible veterinary care. Please help us make a bigger difference in our community today, at a time when it is needed most.
Progress so far
Thank you!
Make your gift today!
Thank you for supporting our mission of providing access to affordable pet veterinary care so that pets and their families can stay happy and healthy – and together.
