VET SOS is a project of SFCCC's Street Outreach Services (SOS). SOS utilizes every avenue in its mission to link homeless clients, many of whom have companion animals, with primary health care services. At the suggestion of a former SOS client, the SOS program partnered with a volunteer veterinarian in 2001, to begin offering care to companion animals of homeless San Franciscans as a way to reach out to their human guardians. The 2001 pilot project has grown into a very successful program linking homeless San Franciscans to primary health care and other social services -- the first step to turning their lives around. Significant research has now confirmed our findings of the importance of the human-animal bond as part of the road to recovery and healing.

This innovative outreach project addresses the unique problems of homeless individuals with companion animals. Services are provided by volunteer veterinarians and veterinary technicians, through the use of a specially equipped mobile outreach van. VET SOS provides physical exams, veterinary medications, basic medical procedures, vaccinations, referrals, and transportation for free spay/neuter surgery, as well as providing direct contact to SOS outreach workers VET SOS dispenses information regarding licensing service animals and responsible pet ownership.

Clients can call the VET SOS hotline at 415-355-2248 with specific questions, request for assistance or to verify eligibility and clinic locations. A VET SOS Americorps Project Assistant is in the office Monday-Thursday from 9am - 5pm to help triage urgent matters and direct clients as needed to partner agencies and other service providers.

Services Provided During Scheduled Clinics Only:

• Wellness exams, ear cleaning, nail trimming, and other routine veterinary procedures
• Distribution of animal food, leashes, collars, halters and other supplies
• Case management
• Limited laboratory testing of blood and urine
• Heartworm tests for dogs over 6 months old, if test kits are available
• Heartworm preventative (1/month for dogs under 6 months old or who test negative for heartworm)
• Deworming
• Flea control products
• Feline leukemia testing, if test kits are available
• Vaccinations (DHLPP, FVRCP) and rabies certificates
• Oral and topical treatments for common skin, eye, and ear infections
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications for pain control and arthritis
• Anti-diarrheal medications
• Nutritional supplements and hairball preventatives
• Minor procedures not requiring general anesthesia
• Referrals to one of our partner agencies for serious illness and procedures requiring general anesthesia
• Transportation and referrals for free spay and neuter surgery
• Limited free Emergency Care funds at a partner agency hospital
• Referrals to San Francisco Animal Care and Control for emergency boarding
• Microchip implantation and registration

VET SOS Policies:
All animals must be spayed or neutered in order to receive continued care and emergency funds, if they are over 4 months of age and healthy enough to undergo anesthesia. If an animal is over 4 months of age and not spayed or neutered, clients will be given the opportunity to have their pet spayed or neutered at no cost. If this service is refused after the first visit, VET SOS will not accept the animal for future appointments.

Services are for eligible VET SOS clients in good standing ONLY and who are currently homeless. Please call the VET SOS office to verify eligibility.

VET SOS Schedule:
VET SOS visits San Francisco neighborhoods once each month, generally on the second Friday of each month. Services are on a first-come-first-serve basis and clients should call ahead to confirm location and time limit for intake.
In addition, the project provides its services at San Francisco's six annual Project Homeless Connect events in the Civic Center/Bay View, and participates in the annual Thanksgiving picnic for homeless people with companion animals in Golden Gate Park.

2012 Schedule

Friday, January 6th

Friday, January 27th

Wednesday, February 15th

Friday, March 9th

Friday, April 6th

Wednesday, May 9th - Project Homeless Connect

Friday, May 25th

Friday, June 8th

Friday, June 29th

Friday, July 13th

Friday, September 14thk

Friday, October 5th

Wednesday, October 17th - Project Homeless Connect

Friday, November 2nd

Thursday, November 22nd

Wednesday, December 5th - Project Homeless Connect

VET SOS Partners:
Through the leadership of the SFCCC's SOS program, the VET SOS project brings together five highly respected and effective animal welfare organizations to participate in this project:

San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SFSPCA). The San Francisco SPCA provides VET SOS with free spay/neuter services for animals under six years of age, pet food, free short-term boarding after-spay/neuter surgery, and no-interest payment arrangements for advanced or urgent-care, provided through its community veterinary practice. www.sfspca.org

San Francisco Animal Care and Control provides VET SOS with free microchipping clinics through "Friends of AC&C," donates free DHLPP, FVRCP, and rabies vaccines, maintains a donation bin for supplies and pet food in their lobby, collaborates with VET SOS to reduce fees and prevent over-vaccination of animals by obtaining up-to-date patient records when impounded, and in special circumstances, provides emergency boarding for up to 14 days, when contacted by the appropriate authority. http://www.sfgov.org/site/acc_index.asp

Pets are Wonderful Support (PAWS) provides VET SOS with storage space and supplemental supplies of pet food and accessories to VET SOS and enrolls eligible clients for additional PAWS services, such as: discounted preventative and emergency vet care, emergency foster care, and PAWS also provides VET SOS clients free information on safe pet guidelines for immunocompromised pet owners and their physicians, and counseling and advocacy in regard to animal rights. http://www.pawssf.org/

Pets Unlimited provided VET SOS with $1,000 in seed money in 2001 to launch this unique outreach program and it continues to promote and support VET SOS's high quality, effective services. Pets Unlimited provides discounted veterinary care to clients who are referred by VET SOS. In addition, Pets Unlimited oversees a pet-sitting service so homeless San Franciscans can receive support from service providers at San Francisco's Project Homeless Connect events. http://www.petsunlimited.org/

San Francisco Veterinary Medical Association promotes VET SOS to its members who, in turn, volunteer their services as veterinarians and veterinary technicians. SFVMA provided an initial $1,000 grant to support VET SOS services in 2005, and continues to provide on-going financial support.

VET SOS Successes:
VET SOS is the only project of its kind in San Francisco. VET SOS is truly an example of the best that can happen when California veterinarians and other community members come together to improve animal and human health.

During 2011 we prrovided significant free services to the companion animals of homeless San Franciscans and their humans:

• 
  841 animal wellness visits were provided
• 
  108 on-site heartworm tests were administered
• 
  723 animal vaccinations were administered
• 
  603 animal medications were dispensed
• 
  125 animals were spayed/neutered
• 
  86 animals received emergency care
• 
  869 packages of pet food &/or supplies were distributed
• 
  474 flea & tick preventative treatments were administered
• 
  131 animals received microchips
• 
  50 animals received behavioral training
• 
  57 homeless San Franciscans with companion animals received human health information and direct referrals to care
  

For a complete list of 2011 VET SOS Highlights, please click here.

Donate:

VET SOS relies on donated supplies to provide free care to the companion animals of homeless San Franciscans and their human guardians. We are indebted to the generous contributions of our supporters and welcome your assistance. Please review the following guidelines for details about our current needs. Thank you!

Money or Giftcards
To make a donation online, please visit SFCCC's secure donation page and indicate your support for VET SOS.

We would also gladly accept Gift Cards to Costco, other large pharmacies, Pet Food Express, Petco, PetsMart or other pet supply stores.

Underwriting Annual Program Supplies and Services
(gifts may be mailed to the VET SOS office or donated online)

• Liability insurance for program volunteers: $1,800 annually
• Storage Space: $1,500 annually
• Outreach van maintenance & repairs: $2,250 annually
• Outreach van fuel: $360 annually-
• Outreach van insurance: $1,600 annually
• Outreach van parking: $1,740 annually
• Outreach van registration: $750 annually

Program Supplies
For a comprehensive list of pet supplies, medical supplies and prescription medications that VET SOS is in need of please click here.

Please Note: We CANNOT ACCEPT ANY expired medications.

We also CANNOT ACCEPT ANY herbal medications, controlled drugs, open injectables, medications that require refrigeration or have already been reconstituted.

If you have any questions about whether we can accept your donation, please contact our office at (415) 355-2248.

Thank you for your generous support of VET SOS!

If you have:

• Any pet guardian with a veterinary emergency, call Pets Unlimited (night/day) or SF SPCA (day only)
• Homeless pet guardian needing routine vet care, call VET SOS
• Homeless/low-income pet guardian needing non-emergency vet care, call SF SPCA
• Homeless/low-income pet guardian with disabling illness needing routine help, call: PAWS for general support; Pets Unlimited and SF SPCA for veterinary help
• Homeless/low-income senior needing veterinary help, call SF SPCA.
• Anyone needing information about diseases that can be transmitted by pets, call PAWS
• Anyone looking for pet-friendly rentals, call SF SPCA
• Anyone looking to adopt a pet, call SF SPCA, Pets Unlimited, or SF Animal Care and Control
• Anyone who has lost or found a pet, call SF Animal Care and Control
• Anyone needing to license a pet, call SF Animal Care and Control
• Anyone wishing to report a case of animal abuse or neglect, call SF Animal Care and Control

PAWS: Provides services to homeless people with a disabling illness. Contact PAWS for information on licensing your pet as a service animal.
(415) 979-9550, 645 Harrison Street, Suite 100; www.pawssf.org.

Pets Unlimited: Provides emergency medical services for your animal after 6PM. (415) 563-6700, 2343 Fillmore Street, www.petsunlimited.org.

SF SPCA: (415) 554-3000, 2500 16th Street, www.sfspca.org;
(415) 554-3084 for the Free Spay/Neuter Clinic

Animal Care & Control: (415) 554-9405, 1200 15th Street

Free Microchip Clinic: (415) 822-5566, www.sfgov.org/site/acc_index.asp

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