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Veterinary Street Outreach Services (VET SOS) Overview

VET SOS Services

VET SOS is in immediate need of the following Program Supplies

VET SOS 2009 Schedule

VET SOS 2008 Highlights

Complimentary Auxilary Services

VET SOS Advisory Committee 2008-2009

In The News

Where Do I Call?

Volunteer With VET SOS

Banfield Charitable Trust Supports VET SOS

Veterinary Street Outreach Services (VET SOS)

Street Outreach Services (SOS) is the mobile outreach component of SFCCC’s Health Care for the Homeless (HCH) program. Since 1988, SOS has provided high quality, non-judgmental health services directly to homeless people in places where they live and congregate.

VET SOS is a project of Street Outreach Services. SOS utilizes every avenue to reach its homeless clients, many of whom have companion animals, to link them successfully into primary care services. Based on an idea from a former SOS client, the SOS program partnered with a volunteer veterinarian in 2001, to begin offering care to homeless animals, as a way to reach out to homeless San Franciscans. This pilot project has been very successful in getting our clients linked to health and other social services -- the first step to turning their lives around. Research confirms our findings of the importance of the human-animal bond, as a road to 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, basic medical procedures, vaccinations, referrals, and transportation for free spay/neuter surgery, and dispenses information about service animals in rental housing and responsible pet ownership.

VET SOS visits the Bayview-Hunter's Point, China Basin, and Castro/Mission neighborhoods on the second Friday of each month. In addition, the project provides its services at San Francisco's six annual Project Homeless Connect events in the Civic Center, and participates in the annual Thanksgiving dinner for homeless people with companion animals.

VET SOS carries vaccinations, medications, medical charts, animal food, leashes, collars, halters, and other necessary supplies that are dispensed, on-site, by a volunteer staff that includes one veterinarian, one vet tech, and an animal assistant. When possible, an animal behaviorist joins this team. In addition to providing physical exams, basic medical procedures and vaccinations, the team also provides health education and responsible pet ownership education, as well as referrals and transportation for free spay/neuter surgery.

VET SOS promotes prevention, as well as intervention. VET SOS requires that pet owners spay and neuter their companion animals through the donated services of a partner agency in order to continue receiving services.

Clients can make specific appointments to receive the outreach services by calling the VET SOS hotline at 415-355-2248. In addition, they can call the hotline between visits, when problems arise with their companion animals. VET SOS is not currently designed to handle a continuous flow of animal emergencies. However, urgent calls to the hotline are triaged twice per week by the VET SOS team, who then distribute information and resources to homeless clients, as needed. Clients are referred to partner agencies on many occasions, for further support.

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VET SOS Services

VET SOS PROVIDES (DURING SCHEDULED CLINICS ONLY):

• DHPP, FVRCP vaccinations
• Rabies vaccinations, rabies tags, and vaccine certificates
• Heartworm testing and heartworm preventatives
• Felv/FIV testing
• Limited laboratory testing of blood and urine, or cytology
• Flea control products
• De-worming medications
• 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
• Administration of subcutaneous fluids
• Basic grooming procedures, including: toe nail trimming, ear cleaning, and anal gland expression
• Microchip implantation and registration (only for spayed or neutered animals)
• Transportation to SF/SPCA for routine spay/neuter services (for healthy animals up to 6 years old)- Clients are responsible for animal pick-up
• Referral to Pets Unlimited for spay/neuter services (for animals 6+ years old) and/or services outside of VET SOS scope- Clients are responsible for transportation
• Referrals to free human health services for pet guardians

VET SOS DOES NOT PROVIDE:

• Anesthetic procedures or any procedures requiring sedation
• Euthanasia
• Controlled drugs
• Ongoing care for chronic illnesses, e.g. diabetes, neoplasia, hypertension
• Blood pressure monitoring
• IV fluid administration
• Diagnostic imaging, e.g. radiography, ultrasonagraphy
• EKG monitoring
• Any veterinary care outside of regularly scheduled clinic hours

[Note: Some limited support services are available FOR ESTABLISHED VET SOS CLIENTS ONLY outside of clinic hours, including: Refill of medications (as available); E-mail and voicemail retrieval and phone triage/ referral for care; Medical record faxing and copying; Pet supplies and food pick up (as available). Please call in advance.]

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VET SOS IS IN IMMEDIATE NEED OF THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM SUPPLIES

We appreciate your assistance in providing us with donated program supplies or making a gift to underwrite a portion of our program supplies and services.

(Supplies can be dropped off at the VET SOS office)

• Nylon muzzles, basket muzzles, gentle leaders, and halti head-halters (of all sizes)
• Harnesses, leashes, collars
• New pet beds
• Stainless steel or plastic water and food bowls (we are not accepting cermaic or glass food bowls at this time)
• New cat litter boxes, small bags of cat litter, litter box liners, and litter box scoopers
• Small dog/cat pet carriers
• Medications: (recently expired OK)
• Antibiotics, ear meds/cleansers, eye medications, commonly used medications

(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

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VET SOS 2009 Schedule

• January 9
• February 11 (with Project Homeless Connect)
• March 13
• April 8 (with Project Homeless Connect)
• April 17
• May 8
• June 5 (with Project Homeless Connect)
• June 12
• July 10
• August 14
• September 9 (with Project Homeless Connect)
• September 18
• October 9
• November 13
• November 26 (Thanksgiving)
• December 9 (with Project Homeless Connect)
• December 18

For more information, please call our voicemail at 415-355-2248 or e-mail us at vetsos@sfccc.org.

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VET SOS 2008 Highlights

• Significantly increased by 52% our free services to the companion animals of homeless San Franciscans:
• 643 animals received urgent & preventive veterinary care
• 73 animals were tested on-site for infectious diseases
• 522 animals received vaccinations
• 281 animals received medication
• 98 animals were spayed/neutered
• 11 animals received emergency medical transport & care
• 717 animals received food &/or pet supplies
• 316 animals received flea & tick preventative
• 89 animals received microchips
• 235 homeless San Franciscans with companion animals received human health referrals

• Provided veterinary care and supplies at all 6 of San Francisco's Project Homeless Connect events, where homeless people and their animal companions accessed health and social services

• Provided veterinary care to animals of homeless San Franciscans in Golden Gate Park during Notre Dame de Namur University’s Thanksgiving Day Picnic

• Participated as a partner in the San Francisco Disaster Preparedness Coalition for Animals, spearheaded by San Francisco Animal Care & Control and the Office of Emergency Services

• Increased operating revenue by over 100% to enhance and sustain services. Received new funding from The Katrina and Thornton Glide, Jr. Foundation, $5,000; The Thelma Doelger Trust for Animals, $10,000; & Build-A-Bear Workshop Foundation, $1,500

• Recruited 57 new volunteers, which increased our ability to serve more animals & their human companions

• Featured in 2 media pieces that expanded knowledge of work & positively addressed public perception of homeless pet ownership

• VET SOS Project Coordinator, Dr. Ilana Strubel, DVM, was selected by the San Francisco General Hospital Foundation as a recipient of the Heroes & Hearts award for her exceptional & inspirational service to the community

• San Francisco Community Clinic Consortium (SFCCC) & Veterinary Street Outreach Services (VET SOS) are grateful to these highly respected and effective animal welfare organizations who serve as our partners in providing care to the companion animals of homeless San Franciscans & their human companions:
• San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SF SPCA)
• San Francisco Animal Care and Control
• Pets are Wonderful Support (PAWS)
• Pets Unlimited
• San Francisco Veterinary Medical Association (SFVMA)

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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 innunocompromised 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 memberts who, in turn, volunteer their services as veterinarians and veterinary technicians. SFVMA provided a $1,000 grant to continue VET SOS services inf 2005.

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Complimentary Auxiliary Services

The Friends of San Francisco Animal Care and Control (FSFACC) is the only nonprofit organization dedicated to raising funds for the city's municipal, open-door animal shelter, San Francisco Animal Care and Control (ACC), and its partnering rescue groups, in order to establish or enhance programs of humane welfare, comfort and placement, public service and humane education. The Friends of Animal Care and Control is providing complimentary microchipping clinics for VET SOS clients in good standing.

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VET SOS Advisory Committee 2008-2009

Bess Touma  Director of Development San Francisco Conservatory of Music Advisory Committee Chair	Dr. Betty Carmack, EdD, RN      Professor of Nursing University of San Francisco
Lori A. Cheung The Pet Photographer	Dr. Emilia Gordon, DVM Veterinarian Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society
Dr. Cheryl Joseph, PhD                   Professor of Sociology Notre Dame de Namur University	Leigh Moyer Webmaster UC Berkeley, College of Chemistry
Beth Rittenhouse, MS Director, Community Services San Francisco Community Clinic Consortium SFCCC Liaison	Dr. Ilana Strubel, DVM Project Coordinator Veterinary Street Outreach Services

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In the News

San Francisco Chronicle, "Reaching Out to Roofless Pets." To read the full article, please click here.

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Where do I Call?

If you have:

• Any pet guardian with a veterinary emergency, call Pets Unlimited (night/day), 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 ilnees needng routine hel, 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, 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 ervices 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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Volunteer with VET SOS

Veterinary Street Outreach Services (VET SOS) is currently recruiting veterinarians, vet techs, and other skilled animal handlers who can make a minimum six-month commitment. Download our application form in Adobe PDF format.

For more information, we invite you to contact us at 415-355-2248, or vetsos@sfccc.org.

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Banfield Charitable Trust Supports VET SOS

Established in 2003, The Banfield Charitable Trust selects top grant candidates from numerous organizations that focus on the human-Pet bond.

A grant award from the Banfield Charitable Trust contributes $10,000 to support San Francisco Community Consortium’s Veterinary Street Outreach Services (VET SOS) program.

“Thanks in part to the generosity of the Banfield Charitable Trust, VET SOS provided complimentary veterinary care to more that 400 companion animals of homeless San Franciscans during 2007,” says Bess Touma, chair of VET SOS Advisory Committee.

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