This November, the ASPCA is celebrating the two-year anniversary of the ASPCA Community Veterinary Center (CVC) in Liberty City, where we’ve treated more than 5,500 Miami-Dade County dogs and cats in over 11,000 unique appointments. The CVC provides affordable and accessible veterinary services to companion animals in the Liberty City area, a critically underserved community with limited access to veterinary care. Since opening, we’ve treated 4,120 dogs and 1,424 cats.
The CVC offers partially and fully subsidized basic and preventive care to pet cats and dogs in Miami-Dade County, including vaccinations, treatment for infections and other minor issues, and spay/neuter surgeries. In 2021, we increased its capacity to provide spay/neuter surgeries to pets and we aim to increase capacity even more to meet the needs of Miami’s pets. To help fulfill the large unmet need for veterinary care in the area, the ASPCA is hiring two additional veterinarians, as well as medical support staff, so the CVC can continue to increase spay/neuter offerings to Miami pet owners.
“For two years, our Community Veterinary Center in Liberty City, Miami has provided critical veterinary services to thousands of local pet owners who have few if any other options to care for their beloved pets,” said Matt Bershadker, ASPCA President and CEO. “The success of this Center demonstrates the commitment and expertise of the veterinarians and staff who work there, as well as the community’s dedication to keeping and maintaining the health of their pets, whose love and loyalty are more important than ever during these stressful times.”
Scrappy, a seven-year-old female terrier mix from Liberty City, is one of the 5,500-plus pets who has benefited from the ASPCA’s services. Scrappy first came to the CVC in October 2020, when her owner, Mr. Jacobs, brought her in for a basic wellness exam and vaccinations. During this visit, Mr. Jacobs learned that Scrappy tested positive for heartworm disease, and after receiving treatment Scrappy was clear of heartworms by January 2021. In September, Mr. Jacobs rushed Scrappy to the CVC after she was attacked by another dog, leaving her with non-life-threatening puncture wounds around her neck. We treated the wounds and Scrappy quickly healed before returning to the CVC once again to be spayed. In the span of one year, Scrappy survived heartworm disease and a dog attack while also getting the preventative veterinary care she needed. Today she is living a good life with Mr. Jacobs, thanks to her devoted owner and the ASPCA team.
“I adopted Scrappy from a scrapyard when she was just a puppy; that’s how she got her name,” said Mr. Jacobs, a retired carpenter. “I’ve had her for seven years and have always cared for her myself until the ASPCA opened their clinic in Liberty City. I’m grateful for the treatment the ASPCA provided and the way the ASPCA treated her. They loved her like she was one of their own pets. The ASPCA’s services were excellent. I even recommended the ASPCA to other people I know who need care for their pets.”
The CVC in Liberty City is part of a larger commitment the ASPCA is making in Miami-Dade County to improve the health and welfare of dogs and cats. In addition to operating the CVC, the ASPCA works in Liberty City to bring critical resources to pets and people, including pet food and supplies. The ASPCA and Farm Share together have provided more than 147,500 pounds of dog and cat food to Liberty City residents since the partnership began.
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