- At a meeting last week, I was informed of a need for more vets in our neighborhoods.
- Local experts at Ingham County Animal Control and Shelter say they are lucky to have two full-time vets on staff.
- Video shows why one neighbor wanted to go into Veterinary Medicine.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
"I grew up with a dog with one eye," said neighbor Madison Thompson.
Thompson is a freshman at Michigan State University. She says she knew she wanted to be a veterinarian after taking her dog, Vexie, to appointment after appointment.
"Just watching her interact with other dogs with one eye, her behavior, just really got me into vet med."
Now, Thompson spends her time at Mitten Misfits Farm Sanctuary in Eaton County.
Thompson told me she believes she was the only one from her high school graduating class to pursue veterinary medicine.
"I was probably the only one going into vet med, maybe one other person."
To learn more about the need for veterinarians, I spoke with Hannah Page, the Community Outreach Manager at the Ingham County Animal Control and Shelter.
"There’s a huge need out there," she said.
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, after COVID, the number of veterinarians across neighborhoods faced a shortage.
"These animals' lives are in your hands, so it’s a lot of pressure. We have got to get that next generation because what happens when the vets we have now retire?" Page said.
According to the federal government, there are expected to be 4,300 job openings each year nationwide for veterinarians through the year 2033.
Thompson hopes to be part of that next generation and encourages others to follow the same path.
"I would encourage them to go into it, explore, and seek out opportunities."
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