Venture Avenue Vet Atlanta helps pets with homeless house owners

ATLANTA — A veterinarian in Atlanta is working to finish homelessness – one animal at a time.

Dr. Kristen Schmidt began a nonprofit a number of months in the past to raise individuals up by serving to their pets keep wholesome. Schmidt has already handled greater than 70 canines and cats that do not have houses however have an proprietor.

And there is not any ready room for her companies, her workplace is on the streets.

She began Project Street Vet Atlanta a number of months in the past in Atlanta. It is an initiative that has been on her coronary heart for a very long time and believes each pet deserves entry to care – whether or not their household lives in a house or not.

“At first, it is scary. I’m not used to moving into this surroundings, I’m on their turf,” she stated about visiting encampments across the metro space.

Because the homeless population in Atlanta grows, so does the inhabitants of homeless pets, residing on the road.

Schmidt stated she’s known as to care due to how fiercely the households of those pets wish to shield them.

“Lots of them will feed their animals earlier than they feed themselves,” she stated. “So even when they solely get one meal a day, think about giving that to your pet over feeding your self.”

Schmidt retains spreadsheets of every animal she treats so she is aware of after they’re due for his or her subsequent flea and tick prevention, and the way a lot meals they’ve left. Oftentimes although, she stated their house owners already know when such care is due.

The veterinarian started visiting homeless pets in April, as a lot of the pandemic eviction aid dried up nationwide. She stated she met a number of individuals on the road who could not make it with out their pets.

“It is their pal, it is safety, it is the one member of the family they’ve,” she stated. 

Schmidt stated in a approach, caring for animals helps people too.

Conserving a pulse on pets and other people – you do not want workplace partitions for that.

“I consider veterinary care and entry to vet care ought to be accessible to everybody, whether or not you are housed or not,” she stated. 

Schmidt has an Amazon wish list arrange. If her mission speaks to your coronary heart, you will discover out which supplies she’s in need of here. No matter you choose is delivered proper to Dr. Kristen’s door, so she will be able to hand it out to the animals that want it most.

11Alive Investigators are analyzing why tents line Atlanta’s freeways and why households battle to search out steady housing of their three-part collection The Means Dwelling. Read Part 1: The Problem