When Michelle found a serious wound on her cat, Jellyfish, she urgently called for help — but every vet she reached turned her away. She had just moved and didn’t have a regular vet yet, and no clinic had an available appointment.

She made over 50 calls to veterinarians while Jellyfish’s condition worsened. After a week of desperation, she finally secured an appointment.

Surgery saved Jellyfish’s life — but no one should have to fight this hard for care.

Across the U.S., there is a massive shortage of veterinarians. 

Many companion animal owners now wait over 10 hours in emergency rooms or drive hundreds of miles just to find an open clinic. 

Due to these delays, some animals suffer worse injuries or illnesses. In extreme cases, vets have had to deny care to companion animals struggling to breathe because they simply don’t have enough staff.

Becoming a veterinarian takes about eight years of school and leaves many graduates with huge debt, making it too expensive and time-consuming for many people.

Veterinarians face one of the highest suicide rates of any profession, driven by extreme stress, financial strain, and the emotional toll of euthanasia and difficult cases.

The vet shortage crisis makes it harder for people to get their companion animals spayed or neutered, which leads to more unwanted litters. 

With fewer vets available, appointments are booked far in advance, and many people can’t afford rising costs – let alone have the resources to care for stray animals.

More puppies and kittens are born without homes, adding to the growing stray population.

Animal shelters and rescue groups are overwhelmed, struggling to keep up with the increasing number of abandoned animals.

Many strays suffer on the streets, facing hunger, disease, and danger.

Without enough vets to provide care and spay/neuter services, the cycle of overpopulation continues, making the problem worse every year.

Our mission is to end the #1 cause of suffering and death for dogs and cats – overpopulation – by developing a permanent-lasting birth control cookie that will only need to be eaten one time, and it will in effect spay or neuter – without surgery.

Please donate today to help us develop the birth control Cookie — and bring relief to millions of animals and the vets who care for them.

Thank you so much for caring about animals.

Sources:

[1] The Atlantic