by Dr. Jim Ziegler
A common scenario is that someone acquires a new pet without fully realizing the financial investment involved in its care. The pet needs vaccines, spaying or neutering, and perhaps other basic care. The owner starts to price these services at local veterinary clinics but discovers that their current household budget won’t allow for them. Surrendering the pet to a local shelter is considered, but the family is already enamored and does not like that option. The owner calls a local shelter and learns that it offers low-cost vaccine and spay/neuter services. They are ecstatic because the pet can now receive affordable, essential care and remain in the home.
The Fox Valley Humane Association (FVHA) is unique among local shelters in that it has a medical department staffed by two veterinarians, two certified veterinary technicians, and several veterinary assistants. They work in an area with a large surgery room featuring four surgical stations, a surgery prep area, two exam rooms, a dental suite, an x-ray room, and diagnostic equipment to analyze blood samples in older and sick patients.
Animals who benefit from this include in-house animals being readied for adoption, animals from other rescue organizations that need veterinary services to prepare them for adoption, and public programs that care for owned animals by providing vaccinations and spaying or neutering services. The medical department performs up to 400 surgeries and procedures each month, greatly benefiting pets and pet owners in the community. Between 4,000 and 5,000 pets receive veterinary care every year, the majority of which would not have received it without the FVHA.
Due to many factors, the cost of veterinary care has risen sharply in recent years. While many of these increases are justified, they have also created a growing gap between the number of pet owners who can afford care and those who cannot. Many of those who can afford care are scaling back on what they are willing to spend on their pets. Approximately 50% of pets in the U.S. receive no or inadequate care, and unfortunately, these numbers are rising. Sadly, this often results in pet surrender, rehoming, abandonment, and sometimes even euthanasia.
Combine this with a shortage of veterinarians, certified veterinary technicians, and support staff, and you have a perfect storm referred to as “the veterinary access to care crisis.” It is an unfortunate trend that has been building for years and is not predicted to be resolved in the next decade—or beyond. This means that more pets will go without care, which is why facilities like FVHA are so vital to the communities they serve.
While some low-cost clinics in larger cities can provide a wide range of services to the public, FVHA only has the resources to provide vaccine and spay/neuter services. Even this, however, is huge when it comes to supporting local pets. The demand for care at FVHA continues to grow, with the number of animals cared for through the medical department rising by 30% in recent years.
At FVHA, surgical services are performed in what it calls a “high volume, high quality” environment. All pets undergoing surgery receive a full physical exam prior to anesthesia. The exam findings are documented and shared with the owner. Modern anesthesia techniques are used, and the pets are monitored throughout the surgery and post-operative time. At the time of discharge, owners are given full instructions as to what to expect following surgery. While the pace is fast, the level of care each pet receives is exceptional. The medical staff always wants pet owners to feel comfortable with their pet’s care.
FVHA is an important resource for the Fox Valley communities. While it cannot meet all the needs of every pet owner and pet, the impact of its work is vitally important to those it serves.
This article was originally published in the November 2025 issue of Appleton Monthly Magazine.
