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Thursday, March 28, 2024

St. Francis Pet Care to build new clinic to meet demand

<p>Vera Mathews (left) holds Nate, and Yvette Mathews holds Bella as they pose for a photo at St. Francis Pet Care.</p>

Vera Mathews (left) holds Nate, and Yvette Mathews holds Bella as they pose for a photo at St. Francis Pet Care.

With 800 cats and dogs running around, St. Francis Pet Care is organized chaos.

Corey Fisher, a volunteer at the pet clinic for homeless or low-income individuals, said there’s limited space and hundreds of pets to care for, forcing volunteers to get creative with their resources. It means dragging around chairs so owners can sit and using rooms for purposes they weren’t created for, the first year UF veterinary medicine student said.

“We’ll use the bathroom as an exam room for cats,” he said. “The only time it becomes a problem is when someone really needs to use the bathroom and there’s a cat in there.”

Soon, the cats will have their own room in a new 2,100-square-foot clinic. The organization plans to start construction within the next three or four weeks and hopes to host a grand opening in September, said Galey Gravenstein, treasurer for St. Francis Pet Care. The new clinic will sit directly behind the St. Francis House, located at 413 S Main Street.

A rendering of the new clinic of St. Francis House.

The new 2,100-square-foot clinic will sit directly behind the St. Francis House, located at 413 S Main St.

 

Inside, there will be three private rooms — one for cats, one for aggressive dogs and an operating room — as well as one large room with six exam areas. The organization has raised $310,000 of the $320,000 needed for the building, Gravenstein said.

“We are beyond excited,” she said. “It has really filled a spot in the community”

St. Francis Pet Care, which opened in 2007, is staffed entirely by volunteers and offers free veterinary services to homeless people, disabled veterans and low-income residents. Its services include basic exams, consultations, flea and heartworm treatment and microchipping. The clinic also partners with UF to send pets to be spayed and neutered.

Owners and their pets sit outside the current St. Francis Pet Care clinic, located at 501 SE Second St., while they wait to be seen.

Owners and their pets sit outside the current St. Francis Pet Care clinic, located at 501 SE Second St., while they wait to be seen.

 

The center has operated out of a small rental unit, at 501 SE Second St., since it moved out of the main St. Francis House building in 2011.

On Tuesdays, when the clinic is open, the building feels like it may burst, Gravenstein said. She watches her feet to avoid stepping on any toes or paws.

The new clinic will not only expand the physical space, but also the scope of the clinic’s services. They hope to set up an operating room where they can spay and neuter pets onsite, perform dental cleanings and conduct minor surgeries, she said. Volunteers are also hoping to open the clinic twice a week instead of once.

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Gravenstein said PetSmart Charities and other companies have donated money or services, including Walker Architects, which designed the building; CHW, which engineered it; and Charles Perry Partners Inc., which will build it.

Gravenstein said she is thrilled the new building will help the team offer more quality care to pet owners who need it most, she said.

“They need this unconditional love,” she said. “That dog or cat is purring or wagging their tail and licking on them in just total adoration no matter what.”

Contact Jessica Giles at jgiles@alligator.org. Follow her on Twitter at @jessica_giles_.

Vera Mathews (left) holds Nate, and Yvette Mathews holds Bella as they pose for a photo at St. Francis Pet Care.

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