EUGENE — For many people, pets are more than just an animal wandering around their house. They are a part of the family. But for some, they are struggling financially to make sure that those animal kingdom family members are safely cared for and given the right veterinary care.
The Community Veterinary Center, located at 70 State Hwy 99 N, Eugene, is the only nonprofit veterinary clinic in Lane County. It has been providing compassionate and comprehensive veterinary care for pets regardless of their owner’s income level since they were founded in 2011.
Leanne Pattie is the Veterinary Assistant at CVC. Pattie says that everyone at the center is focused on the same purpose. They want to become a family unit for those who come to the clinic for services.
“There are people in the community that pets can be a life-saver for. So, being able to help them have a pet and keep their pet healthy, makes me feel really good,” Pattie says. “The owners really feel that connection and the trust with the clinic to be there and make the right decisions for them.”
In 2022, the CVC was able to help about 2,100 animals. In 2023, they had an average of about 80 to 100 pets in the clinic a week.
Ron Titterington is the Medical Director and DVM at the center and says that it is a unique place because it provides uncommon procedures for being a low-cost clinic.
Many clinics provide spays and neuters but CVC can provide appointments that would typically cost more. Titterington provides examples such as specialty procedures like abdominal surgeries, bladder stones, removing spleens, as well as taking out tumors.
While these are all procedures the center has provided for an animal patient, Titterington says the majority of their surgical procedures are advanced dentistry procedures because clients are given very high quotes or estimates at other clinics that they cannot afford.
The land that the CVC is located on off HWY 99 in Eugene is no longer an option for the non-profit to continue to use. The team is now looking for new property options for the center so that they can continue to run and help animals at a low cost.
Brooke Taliaferro, the Practice Manager, says that their building is mobile which adds some flexibility to their plan.
“If we need to, we can move it to an empty property, or we could also sell the building and then move to another location if it’s an already open building or lease or however, or if people want to help fund our move, that sort of thing. But we are at a spot where we do need to relocate,” Taliaferro says.
Taliaferro says that the nonprofit is run mostly off of donations and government funding.
“So, we do need people to donate to that, as well as just to keep the clinic running itself,” Taliaferro says. “We really want to provide low-cost veterinary care that is also really good medicine to the community, since not a lot of places are able to offer that right now.”
CVC team members say that those wanting to help the non-profit work toward finding a new property have many opportunities to help either through volunteering, donating funds or supplies, or using rewards such as AMAZONSMILE and Fred Meyer.
“People who are interested in donating to us can volunteer time,” says Leslie Clifton, Lead CVT. “There are all sorts of things that we can utilize that are donated materials in the clinic, towels to food, and anything else. Even just kind words from people are helpful, just the emotional and mental support or the hard work that we’re trying to put out here — we appreciate it.”
