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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A new partnership will bring much-needed veterinary care to Clearlake’s animal shelter, which is now under new leadership.
The Clearlake Animal Association, or CAA, the nonprofit organization now operating animal control and shelter services for the city of Clearlake, has established a new partnership with veterinarian and Lake County native, Jennifer Bennett, DVM, MS, CAWA.
Bennett provides professional services under under the business name The Shelter Link, to serve as the veterinarian of record, or VOR, for the Clearlake Animal Association.
Dr. Bennett has nearly two decades of experience working with animal shelter and welfare organizations and is a Certified Animal Welfare Administrator. She also worked with Lake County Animal Care and Control as its first medical director.
In early February, CAA assumed responsibility for Clearlake’s animal shelter and animal control services following the transition from North Bay Animal Services.
As the organization continues to rebuild and improve local shelter services, its leadership said this new veterinary partnership marks an important step in expanding medical care for the shelter animals and preventative services for animals in the community.
Through a veterinarian of record relationship, CAA is able to legally obtain prescription medications, vaccines and diagnostics for use within established shelter medical
protocols, and provide medical care for common conditions to the animals in their care.
CAA said this partnership will help ensure that animals entering the shelter receive essential and timely medical and behavioral assessment and care, to increase their welfare and expedite their shelter stay.
Shelter and veterinarians entering a VOR relationship require careful planning and coordination. Over the past several weeks, CAA and Dr. Bennett have begun working together to establish medical priorities, identify sheltering capacity goals and implement systems designed to support humane care for shelter animals.
These efforts are guided by nationally recognized best practices based on the 2022 Association of Shelter Veterinarians Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters and by the nationally recognized resources and expertise of the UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program, where Dr. Bennett works as the director of Shelter Medicine Access to Care.
“This partnership is an important step toward strengthening access to veterinary care here in Clearlake,” said Dr. Bennett.
She pointed to recent studies, conducted by KSMP and the San Francisco SPCA, that over 50% of vacant shelter veterinary positions remain unfilled and 25% of shelters struggle to provide even the most basic care.
“Developing strong medical protocols takes time, but having a VOR will allow CAA to build a program that supports both the immediate and long-term health of shelter animals and community animal needs,” she said.
Animal sheltering is a community service with a goal to support animals in the homes they already have, preserving the shelter for those who have with the greatest needs, and to
expedite the best permanent outcomes to maintain short stays.
Maintaining capacity for care inside the shelter actually moves more animals through, while overcrowding increases disease and behavioral deterioration by increasing their time in the shelter.
Experts agree that shelters must maintain reserved kennel space so they are able to respond to unplanned events such as wildfire disasters, animal seizures and legal cases, and seasonal population surges.
Whenever possible, shelter diversion with community support through supplies and services is the preferred option for healthy animals.
CAA and The Shelter Link said they will continue working together to strengthen shelter medical programs, improve disease prevention, and support the health and welfare of animals in Clearlake and the surrounding community.
“We are excited for this first step in our new chapter with the city of Clearlake and are so thankful for the outpouring of support during this time of transition” said Charmain Weldon, CAA’s executive director.
You can help this ongoing effort through financial contributions for the purchase of approved medical supplies and planned veterinary treatment space renovations.
For more information about Clearlake Animal Association, email Charmaine Weldon at info@clearlakeanimalassociation.org.
