Diamond, a 18-year-old pit bull mix, and her newborn puppy were snuggled up in a shopping cart, among the furry friends lined up outside GRACE Marketplace.
Diamond and her pup were some of 20 pets treated in St. Francis Pet Care's mobile van. The nonprofit pet clinic in Gainesville has partnered with GRACE Marketplace, a one-stop shop for people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness, located at 3055 NE 28th Drive, to provide pet owners with a monthly We offer wellness clinics.
While many of the pets seen in the moving van are one-time visitors, Diamond was cared for while pregnant during a previous visit to GRACE Marketplace. On Wednesday, she and her child received vaccinations and general examinations.
The vehicle, donated to the nonprofit organization by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, features two stations and an exam room, space for St. Francis Pet Care to provide pet services to low-income residents in north-central Florida. We offer
In addition to monthly clinics in the GRACE Marketplace, St. Francis Pet Care offers two outreach clinics in partnership with local organizations: Southwest Advocacy Group and Twisted Oaks Rescue.
The clinic's goal is to provide medical care to the furry companions of people who don't have transportation to a permanent clinic. The mobile van arrives at the homeless shelter on the third Wednesday of each month.
Pets at the Outreach Clinic are cared for by St. Francis Pet Care clinic manager Sarah Wingfield and a team of volunteers. Wingfield joined the organization as a volunteer in 2018 and became manager in 2020.
“We are driven by our mission,” Wingfield said. “At St. Francis, our mission is to help people and their pets live as happily as possible for as long as possible, so we want our pets to be happy and healthy, too.”
St. Francis Pet Care's outreach efforts extend beyond the vaccines, heartworm and flea prevention, and cleaning it provides. Wingfield said staff emphasizes the importance of maintaining your pet's vaccination status to prevent public health issues.
“We're trying to encourage them not only to take advantage of the free service, but also to take responsibility for their pets,” Wingfield said.
Similar to the nonprofit clinic's mission, GRACE Marketplace Animal Welfare Coordinator Jacob Schaffer works to keep pets and their owners happy and healthy at GRACE Marketplace.
“The purpose of the animal welfare program is to… educate.” [pet owners] What is animal welfare?'' Schaefer said. “It puts a smile on a lot of people’s faces when they see animals getting the care they need.”
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The Animal Welfare Program provides pets in the GRACE Marketplace with the supplies and medications they need during wellness visits at St. Francis Pet Care.
“St. Francis is invaluable because it provides services to these pets that they wouldn't normally receive, either because they don't have money, or they don't have transportation, or both,” Schaefer said. Ta.
Founded in September 2007, St. Francis Pet Care was born out of St. Francis House, a Gainesville homeless shelter and soup kitchen located at 413 S. Main Street. It was founded as a nonprofit organization that provides weekly clinical care to the pets of people experiencing homelessness. Veterans and very low-income residents of north central Florida.
St. Francis Pet Care has expanded the facility through grants, fundraising and community support and is now open to the public at reduced rates, said Dr. Lawrence Garcia, St. Francis Pet Care's medical director. said. In August 2019, we moved to a new building on Southeast Fourth Place.
Lauren Murphy, a 21-year-old fourth-year zoology and art student at the University of Florida, originally worked as a volunteer at St. Francis Pet Care before becoming a senior technician last June. . She shares her passion for animal health and welfare, just like her clients, she said.
“Money shouldn't dictate your relationship with your pet,” Murphy says. “Everyone can love pets the same way, regardless of their economic situation. There should be no restrictions on who can and cannot have a pet.”
Sofia Vieira, 18, a freshman in the University of Florida's Department of Animal Science, began volunteering at St. Francis Pet Care this week. Vieira was looking for volunteer opportunities and was drawn to her cause.
“like [St. Francis Pet Care] Because … it helps low-income and veteran communities,” Vieira said. “The mission is special.”
A major feature of Wellness Clinics is that they provide tests and vaccinations to prevent serious illnesses.
“Many things can be avoided if owners are educated and provide preventive care,” Wingfield says.
Gainesville resident Brenda Kalak, 63, has been visiting the clinic frequently since she and her husband moved to Gainesville from Arizona in September 2023.
While her dog Cody James underwent a health check at St. Francis Pet Care, staff encouraged and educated Karak on how to continue caring for an injured pup.
“These guys are amazing,” Karak said. “I felt like they really cared about the animals, not just the money.”
St. Francis Pet Care, in partnership with Twisted Oaks Rescue, a pet service located at 7637 El Dorado Avenue, Keystone Heights, Florida, launched a new outreach program in October in Keystone Heights.
The nonprofit clinic recently became part of the Atlanta Humane Society's affordable veterinary hospital division called Remedy: Yout Community Vet. According to St. Francis Pet Care's website, the combination of the two organizations will allow them to impact more pets and people in north-central Florida.
Contact Molly Seghi at mseghi@alligator.org. Follow her on X @molly_seghi.
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Molly Segi is a first-year college journalism major and the Fall 2023 Avenue Reporter. When she's not writing or journaling, she can be found attending live music events or working on her podcast, An Aural Account.
