Frequently Asked Questions

Following are some of the questions we receive most often. We hope you find them helpful.

 

Where is your clinic? When are you open?

Our clinics are held on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of most months. In May, November and December we have one clinic only - on the 2nd Sunday.

The clinics are held at St. Vincent dePaul's Lindholm Center, known as the Service Station. It is located at 450 N. Hwy 99. You can find driving directions here.

I've seen the building and the sign that says it is the future home of Pro-Bone-O clinics. When will that happen?

It's anticipated that sometime during 2010 Pro-Bone-O will move our twice-monthly clinics to the renovated modular unit donated by the Creswell School District on the land provided by St. Vincent dePaul. There is still much work to be done to prepare the building so it can be used as a veterinary clinic. Until then, we will continue to hold our clinics at the Service Station.

I'm not homeless. Can I bring my pet to your clinic?

Our services are intended for those who do not have a fixed, regular, or adequate residence. For us, homelessness means the following:

I don't meet your criteria. How can I get help for my pet?

Unfortunately, until the Community Veterinary Center is up and running, options may be limited. If you have seen a veterinarian previously, talk with your vet to see if some kind of payment arrangement can be made for the treatment of your pet. That person knows you best and may be in a position to help you. Please look here for possible sources of financial assistance or here for more local resources that may be able to help you.

One option might be Good Neighbor Vet. This clinic operates every Saturday 10:00 am - 11:30 am at Coastal Farm and Ranch at 2200 W. 6th Street. "We offer a full pet health exam performed by a licensed veterinarian, pet micro-chipping, as well as diagnostic testing for heartworm, feline HIV and leukemia." Vaccinations are also given; animals that are ill are NOT treated.

The City of Eugene Spay and Neuter Clinic, 3970 W. 1st Avenue, Eugene, 97402, also offers low-cost vaccinations - available on a walk-in, no appointment needed basis. Vaccinations are available Tuesday through Friday 1:00 pm - 5:30 pm and Saturdays 10:00 am - 5:30 pm (closed 12:30 - 1:00 for lunch). Call 541-682-3643 for more information.

You require spaying or neutering. Why? Are there other organizations that can help me if I don't meet your criteria?

One of Pro-Bone-O's goals is to reduce the number of litters born and as a result, reduce the number of animals ending up in shelters or abandoned. So we require that animals treated at our clinics be spayed or neutered within six months of being treated for the first time. We provided spay/neuter vouchers at no cost to our clients. If a clients decides not to have his or her animal spayed or neutered, or takes a voucher and does not use it, we will not treat that animal at our clinic until the owner has had the surgery performed.

There are other organizations in our area that provide free or low-cost spay or neuter options to low-income individuals or families. They are:

S.P.O.T. Call 541-485-7768 or visit the website. This assistance is for dogs only.

Save the Pets Project Spay Ship. This program provides vouchers to Willamette Animal Guild and Greenhill Humane Society. The application is made online here.

Willamette Animal Guild (WAG) is a low-cost spay neuter clinic. Call 541-345-3566 or visit the website or for more information.

Lane County Animal Services offers low-income individuals or families spay/neuter vouchers to qualified applicants. Vouchers are $25. Call 541-682-3647 or click here for more information.

Stray Cat Alliance contributes $20 toward a cat spay or neuter at Willamette Animal Guild. Email fixcats@hotmail.com or call 541-554-8657 for more information.

The City of Veneta offers $30 vouchers to qualified applicants to help with the cost of spaying or neutering of their cats or dogs. For more information, call 541-935-2191 or click here.

How do I get a copy of my dog's rabies certificate? My cat's vaccination history?

I you need copies of medical information, including vaccinations and rabies certificates, please call 541-607-8089. Speak slowly and clearly and leave your name, your pet's name, the information you need and a phone number where we can reach you if we need to contact you.

Can I get pet food between clinics?

Yes. The Service Station usually has food available daily when it is open. Since all food is donated, supplies may be limited. Also, Lane County Animal Services often has food available. Call 541-682-3647 to find out if food is available.

I have an emergency. What can I do? I need help between clinics. What do I do?

Pro-Bone-O cannot treat sick or injured animals outside our clinic hours. We do not have a brick and mortar building, nor do we have a veterinarian staff on duty. If you have an emergency situation, please contact the Emergency Vet Hospital at 103 West Q Street in Springfield at 541-746-0112, or Animal Urgent Care at 3845 W. 11th in Eugene at 541-485-0471. For help between clinics please read the question above, "I don't meet your criteria. How can I get help for my pet?"

I have a donation for you. How do I get it to you?

Please call 541-607-8089 and leave a message, including your name and phone number. Our donations coordinator will call you to make arrangements. Or, you can leave your donations at either Bare Bones Dog Wash location between 10 am and 7 pm daily.

How do I volunteer for Pro-Bone-O?

That's easy. Just click here.

Homeless people shouldn't have pets since they can't seem to even take care of themselves. So why do you do this for them?

These pets are family, protectors, companions, sometimes lifelines to sobriety or mental health. The pets are typically healthy and well socialized as they are with people and other animals most of the time. For the sake of argument, let's say that people who are homeless "should not" have pets. We ALL do things we "shouldn't" do. Doing things that we "shouldn't" is not something that is limited to the segment of the population in homeless situations. And, people who are homeless often find and rescue animals that have been abandoned or dumped by others.

Financial and housing situations change, occasionally quickly and drastically. The current economic downturn has proven that. Many people are facing situations which they never thought they would and homelessness - by our definition - is one of them. Providing veterinary care to their pets allows them to keep their pets with them and not add to an already burgeoning number at our local shelters and rescue organizations.