Kelli Kennedy May 11, 2021 - 10:34 PM
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) â During the gloomiest stretches of the pandemic, Dr. Diona Krahn s veterinary clinic has been a puppy fest, overrun with new four-legged patients.
Typically, sheâd get three or four new puppies a week, but between shelter adoptions and private purchases, the 2020 COVID-19 pet boom brought five to seven new clients a day to her practice in Raleigh, North Carolina. Many are first-time pet owners. shelter adoptions
Like many veterinarians across the country, she s also been seeing more sick animals. To meet the demand, vets interviewed by The Associated Press have extended hours, hired additional staff and refused to take new patients, and they still can t keep up. Burnout and fatigue are such a concern that some practices are hiring counselors to support their weary staffs.
FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. During the gloomiest stretches of the pandemic, Dr. Diona Krahn s veterinary clinic has been a puppy fest, overrun with new four-legged patients. Typically, she d get three or four new puppies a week, but between shelter adoptions and private purchases, the 2020 COVID-19 pet boom brought five to seven new clients a day to her practice in Raleigh, North Carolina. Many are first-time pet owners. Like many veterinarians across the U.S., she s also been seeing more sick animals. To meet the demand, vets interviewed by The Associated Press have extended hours, hired additional staff and refused to take new patients, and they still can t keep up. Burnout and fatigue are such a concern that some practices are hiring counselors to support their weary staffs.