By LYNDON ZAITZ of the Keizertimes
Friends of Felines in Keizer held a ribbon cutting of its new Wellness Clinic on Tuesday, Sept. 17.
The clinic was constructed in the space once occupied by the organization’s thrift shop on Cherry Ave. NE.
It is the first clinic of its kind in the community and will offer increased access to veterinary care for all cats. It will remove financial barriers that stand in the way for many cat owners and guardians.
According to executive director Chelsey Marks, the Friends of Feline surgery team has been working since November 2021; it outgrew its surgery suite inside the adoption center.
The non-profit found it necessary to expand the clinic and choose to close its store to accomplish its needed wellness clinic space.
The new clinic is larger and can accommodate more staff and additional surgeons.
More than 10,000 cat surgeries have been conducted so far this year. That includes spaying, neutering, amputations and other procedures.
The new Wellness Clinic was funded through private donations to the Friends of Felines capital campaign. General purpose funds were also utilized. The campaign raised more than $75,000 last year for the new clinic.
“All of our staff are Fear Free certified,” said Marks. “(they) take care of our client’s pets as if they were their own.”
Services available at the clinic include routine preventative care, FVRCP and rabies vaccines, deworming, flea prevention, FIV testing, nail trimming and microchipping.
“All at a fraction of the cost,” said Marks.
Friends of Felines is dedicated to providing vital services to cats and their owners. As of this week almost 20,000 cats have been adopted.
For those in the public who wish to support them, Friends of Felines accepts donations of goods and money. The websites for Amazon and Chewy have links to their wishlist.