YAKIMA, WA – Since the COVID-19 pandemic started veterinarian clinics around the state have become extremely overwhelmed with the amount of new clients coming in during the pandemic that they have stopped taking new clients all together.
“We currently have a very large cliental already and with increased pets during COVID has also increased there amount of visits” said Brittany Kemp, Clinical Manager at Tieton Drive Animal Clinic.
Most animal clinics never expected to have so many clients at once, so they had to make a tough decision.
“Trying to accommodate them we are booked with clinical emergencies, annual exams and so trying to fit anyone else into our books is almost impossible” said Kemp.
The current state of veterinarian clinics isn’t just due to one factor but many different ones, there has been a huge increase in adoptions, limited hospital capacity and a shortage of veterinary staff.
Tieton Drive Animal Clinic said they have had a position open for over a year now with no luck.
Many technicians have left the profession or had to go to part time because of the pandemic.
Because of the veterinarian doctor shortage throughout the U.S., It’s been a struggle for animal clinics to get new clients because their schedules are booked with old ones.
“A lot of the veterinarians they’re in child baring years, they’re female” said Kemp. “Then COVID and them having to take part time for zoom classes, stay at home school and a lot of them have shift to part time as well and burn out is a huge thing.”
Accommodating new clients is not possible with the demand they are getting from their current ones.
“Clinics that I have called around to, they haven’t accepted new clients for 2 years” said Kemp. “From what I’ve heard and what clients have told me that, that is a problem with any veterinarian in the area.”
The good news is the U.S. Bureau of labor statistics says the outlook of veterinarians is projected to grow 17 percent from 2020 to 2030, which is much fast than the average for any other occupation.
Some veterinarian clinics are taking limited new clients as of right now so the best thing to do is to call around and ask what their policy is at the moment.