VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — “When Grover first came in we weren't sure he was gonna make it," according to veterinarian Dr. Ann Marie Woyma.
“He was very very thin, all of his teeth were fractured and broken and diseased. He had a severe skin infection, severe flea infestation," said Woyma.
Medical Director of the Virginia beach SPCA Dr. Ann Marie Woyma told me that the Bassett hound's owners couldn’t afford to have him treated, so they brought him in to be put down.
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“We have seen an increase owner surrenders and a lot of these pet parents, it's a choice they don’t want to make, but they don’t have any other options," said Mandi Kowaleski of the Va. Beach SPCA.
Kowaleski said it's a trend within the past few months, and she’s not surprised.
"We are in a veterinary crisis. We not only have a shortage of veterinarians but the costs are high. So when those costs go up It makes it harder on pet parents,” Kowaleski said.
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The Virginia Beach SPCA offers discounted vet care for families who make less than $65,000 a year, active duty military, reservists and their dependents as well as first responders.
And soon they’ll be able to do more. They just received a $1.1 million grant from Petsmart to expand and renovate their facility on Holland Road.
“The fantastic thing about this renovation is that we are going to have more exam rooms so we can see more clients each day," said Dr. Woymer. "We’re going have more surgery space, we’re going to have more kennel space, we’re going to have a separate dental suite."
And with more affordable care options, more pet parents can get medical care for their furry family members like Grover, before it’s too late.
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"He looked up at me and he had this sparkle in his eye and his tail was wagging and we thought we’re going to give it a shot, we’re gonna see if we can fix this," said Woyma.
And they did. Months of intense medical treatment including dental surgery, and of course TLC by his foster mom, Myra Jennings.
“It took about two to three months to really rehab him," said Jennings. "He was eating small meals a day and he was just a loving dog and he accepted being there and seemed to get a new lease on life as soon as we took him."
The retired school teacher told me they’ve been through a lot together, and now she can’t imagine home without Grover in it.
“He’s never met any food or any person he doesn’t like," said Jennings. "So, we hope he has at least 10 more good years with these ladies taking care of him."
The million dollar expansion will start this month and should be finished in June of this year.
The Virginia Beach SPCA also has other low cost or free services including a behavioral support line to help you with those stubborn issues like potty training.
