Community Veterinary Outreach recieves $40,00 grant to improve access to veterinary care in Indigenous communities with support from PetSmart Canada

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October 15th, 2024 - Ottawa - Community Veterinary Outreach (CVO) has received an innovative $40,000 grant from PetSmart Charities of Canada. This grant will address challenges in accessing veterinary care for underserved communities and their pets through a “One Health” model of care.  

By offering human health services and health education alongside preventative veterinary care, CVO seeks to improve access to veterinary and human health resources, and increase the use of health services, programs and education by building on the bonds between people and their animals. Rising costs combined with geographical and cultural barriers have left many communities out of the veterinary care system altogether. The PetSmart Charities Incubator grant program supports innovative and culturally relevant veterinary programs for the benefit of Indigenous communities across Canada.  

While 60% of Canadian households include pets, access to basic veterinary services has not kept pace. Pets are universally considered important family members and keeping them together with loving families requires resources that are often missing. This is particularly felt in many Indigenous communities where not only cost, but geography and historical exclusion from systems has left veterinary care beyond reach. Early in 2023, PetSmart Charities of Canada, the top funder of animal welfare in the country, committed $18 million over five years toward improving access to veterinary care. The Incubator grants focus on historically excluded communities, many of which lack access to community supports, including veterinary services.  

Community Veterinary Outreach has been chosen as part of this year’s Incubator grantees, designed to give veterinary organizations a one-year runway to build relationships with and deepen their understanding of their partner community. Tasked with enlisting support of local changemakers, the grantees agree to co-creating models of care alongside communities. For this grant, Community Veterinary Outreach Yukon Region partnered with Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation (VGFN) to assist in the development of a long-term dog management plan for the community of Old Crow, Yukon. The Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation government is integral to this project, and Community Veterinary Outreach is honoured to bring veterinary expertise and access to national networks to support them in achieving their goals.  

“Funding from PetSmart Charities of Canada is allowing us to deeply listen to the community of Old Crow and VGFN so we can co-create sustainable solutions to accessible care in a way that community members want and need. Pets are a vital part of all communities whether as working dogs or providing companionship and love, and increasing their health means the whole community is healthier and more resilient,” says Dr. Melanie Barham, CEO of Community Veterinary Outreach.  

“Old Crow is a remote, fly-in community and it is not easy for people to access veterinary care. Partnering with Community Veterinary Outreach provides access to thoughtful, accessible animal care that considers the whole community,” said Chief Pauline Frost. “We are happy to work with Community Veterinary Outreach volunteers and with the support of PetSmart Charities of Canada to develop an animal management program for Old Crow.”  

With the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action integrated into the approach, grantees were asked to build relationships and assess specific needs first. This ensures that communities themselves are full participants in the care they need for their pets.  

“Most people today consider pets family, yet nearly 1 in 5 Canadians face challenges in accessing even basic preventative care such as spay/neuter procedures, vaccinations and annual exams,” said Kate Atema, director of community grants and initiatives at PetSmart Charities of Canada. “While this issue affects families in nearly every community, those who have been historically excluded from human social services are most in need of pet services. We’re proud to be contributing to care that meets the unique needs identified by those living in the communities themselves.”  

To date, the funding has supported a wellness clinic, a spay/neuter clinic, and distribution of pet food in the community of Old Crow. Additionally, Community Veterinary Outreach and VGFN have hosted two community meetings to hear from community members about their concerns, hopes, and strengths related to animal care and welfare. Promoting a community conversation and creating space to learn from community members is critical to the success of this project. These visits have also allowed for relationship-building between CVO and local health and social service providers, to support future One Health clinic offerings in the community.  

Interested community members can learn more about Community Veterinary Outreach, including information on donating and volunteering, by visiting vetoutreach.org or checking out @vetoutreach on Instagram and Community Veterinary Outreach on Facebook and LinkedIn.  

About Community Veterinary Outreach  

Community Veterinary Outreach (CVO) is the only veterinary-based organization that provides free health and social services to houseless and vulnerably housed youth and adults and their pets. CVO includes human health services in every event. This model of care is called One Health. CVO serves communities across Canada, including Ontario (Ottawa, Toronto, Simcoe, Kingston, and York region), Winnipeg, Vancouver, Kelowna, Saskatoon, Halifax, Whitehorse, and Old Crow (YT).  

Preventive veterinary care includes exams, vaccination, deworming medication, microchip placement, dental care supplies and education, nutrition education, training and behaviour consultation, and pro bono appointments for spay/neuter. This is combined with health and social services for people, through partnership with human health service providers, including smoking cessation, vaccination (including influenza and COVID-19), primary health care needs, dental care access, harm reduction including sexual health testing/education, legal advice, and naloxone kit provision and training. To learn more visit vetoutreach.org.  

About the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation  

The Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation (VGFN) is the government of the Van Tat Gwich’in. The Arctic community of Old Crow is the seat of the government. Located on the Porcupine River in northern Yukon, Old Crow is a small fly-in community of approximately 300 residents, most of whom are Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation Citizens. VGFN Citizens also live in other Yukon communities, the Northwest Territories, BC, Alberta, and Alaska.  

The Van Tat Gwich’in are part of the larger Gwich’in Nation—which includes communities in the Northwest Territories, Yukon and Alaska—and have close cultural and family ties with their Gwich’in relatives living in these communities.  

About PetSmart Charities of Canada  

PetSmart Charities of Canada is committed to making the world a better place for pets and all who love them. Through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart® stores across the country, PetSmart Charities of Canada helps thousands of pets connect with loving families each year. PetSmart Charities of Canada also provides grant funding to support organizations that advocate and care for the well-being of all pets and their families. Our grants and efforts connect pets with loving homes through adoption, improve access to affordable veterinary care and support families in times of crisis with access to food, shelter, and emergency relief.  

Each year, thousands of generous supporters help pets in need by donating to PetSmart Charities of Canada directly at PetSmartCharities.ca, while shopping at PetSmart.ca, and by using the PIN pads at checkout registers inside PetSmart stores. In turn, PetSmart Charities of Canada efficiently uses more than 90 cents of every dollar donated to fulfill its role as the leading funder of animal welfare in Canada, granting more than $35 million since its inception in 1999. Independent from PetSmart LLC, PetSmart Charities of Canada is a registered Canadian charity. To learn more visit petsmartcharities.ca.