New Clinic Fund

About the Campaign

In 2020, we acquired a specially designed 43-foot mobile spay and neuter clinic, complete with surgical suite, surgical prep area, and kennel space for 26 animals.

We opened in late September 2020, in Arcadia, California. However, due to the pandemic and a national shortage of experienced surgical personnel, it wasn’t until March 2021 that treatment could be consistently offered, but only once a week.

Space in the mobile clinic is limited, which restricts the types of medical services that can be offered. Consequently, the clinic only provides spay and neuter surgeries, simple mass removals and basic hernia repairs. Since March 2021, FAD has spayed or neutered over 2,400 dogs and cats, removed 25 tumors, repaired 27 hernias, and vaccinated over 350 animals. The clinic operation is financially self-sustaining.

The Need for a Change

Veterinarians rarely extend credit.  In fact, almost all require payment-in-full at the time of service, and some also require a down payment.

Within this context, crowdfunding is a very effective means of raising money when the pet’s condition does not require immediate treatment. In such cases, there is time to prepare and promote the pet’s campaign and raise the necessary funds.

On the other hand, crowdfunding is not nearly as effective in emergencies when the pet’s condition demands immediate care (poison) or near immediate care (trauma) to survive. In such circumstances, there is simply not enough time to prepare, post and promote a campaign and raise the needed funds. Consequently, treatment is delayed, leaving the pet to suffer until funds can be raised. In some cases, treatment may come too late.

Moreover, our clinic was specially designed as a mobile spay & neuter clinic. That specific design coupled with its small size (420 sq ft), severely limits our ability to increase the scope of medical services we can offer. For example, there isn’t enough room in the clinic to install the most common diagnostic tool, an X-ray machine, and the tiny surgical suite is inadequate for most veterinary surgeries.

Interview on Fox 11 Los Angeles:

Solution

The path to overcome these limitations is clear. Building on a successful track record, FAD seeks to develop and operate a full-service non-profit veterinary clinic as a key component in the FAD charity model.  We see this expansion as a necessary step in fulfilling our mission to help pet families navigate a pet-health crisis when the cost of care is a barrier. This integrated funding and pet care delivery model will provide broader services in a more timely and cost-effective manner. It will allow FAD to serve more pets and help pet families to remain intact in the face of a critical pet health crisis.

New Full-Service Clinic

The objective is to replace our existing clinic with a larger full-service clinic offering a wide and diverse range of veterinary services. With an expanded veterinary clinic, FAD will be able to provide more types of care, treat more pets, and provide the needed services sooner and at a lower cost.
Specifically, we will be able to provide essential medical care to pets, when that care is needed (emergencies), without first having to raise the money. Offering financially disadvantaged pets’ better access to essential care.

To the point, providing medical care, when that care is needed, yields a better outcome; for example, surgery needed to repair a fracture should occur within days of the incident to avoid complications due to calcification.

Having a full-service clinic provides another significant benefit; we control medical costs which allows us to offer the lowest possible prices, helping more pets per dollar.

Land is secured thanks to a generous donation from the Stronach Group. Permits are completed, and we are ready to instal the buildings and begin serving the community!

(click the map to enlarge)

The Building

Free Animal Doctor is seeking financial aid sufficient to purchase 4 modified pre-owned mobile homes (60’ X 12’) which will be combined in series to create the new full-service clinic (2880 sq ft). We already have the site for the new clinic, Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. The Park is generously allowing us to erect and operate the new clinic on their property at no charge, at the same location as our spay & neuter clinic.

Building the new clinic at the same location eliminates the need to modify, transfer, or obtain, a new veterinary premises license, new DEA permit, or new business license.  Since the new clinic will be located adjacent to the Parks’ medical facility, zoning is not an issue.

The new clinic will be built upon a mobile platform, therefore building permits are not required, yet construction will meet all applicable municipal and veterinary codes. Once construction begins, we expect it will be completed within 4 months.

The new clinic will feature 2 surgical suites with adjoining surgical prep areas, an examination room, and 30 kennels for small, medium, and large animals.

The Equipment
We are also seeking financial help to acquire necessary medical and laboratory equipment. For example, we will need an X-ray machine, ultrasound machine, surgical instruments, 2 surgical tables, surgical lights, large autoclave, 3-4 anesthesia machines, 2-4 oxygen concentrators, dental equipment, urine, and blood analysis equipment, 1-2 wet tables, and 30 kennels. Current equipment shortages may cause delays of up to 10 months to acquire some component. In that case, some services would be provided immediately upon construction completion with the remainder to be phased in as soon as possible.

Budget and Requested Donation
The total new clinic development budget is $1,100,000. This includes $25,000 for site preparation and utility hookup, $600,000 for clinic construction and interior finishing, $460,000 for medical equipment, $15,000 for computers, communications, and office furniture.  FAD is contributing up to $200,000 in reserve funds toward risk mitigation during initial years of operation to ensure a successful start.

Patients
New Clinic patients will come from local pets listed in our fundraising campaigns, as well as local non-profit shelters, rescues, and humane societies. LA County has already reached out asking to refer clients once the new clinic opens. Based upon our clinic experiences, we anticipate offering medical care for up to 40% below market. We expect the number of animals serviced will grow rapidly in the first year and predict the new clinic should become self-sufficient during the third year of operation.

Conclusion
We have the site for the new clinic, and we have experience successfully operating a veterinary clinic. All we need to realize this goal, is your one-time generous donation to meet the cost of developing the new full-service veterinary clinic.

Once we have shown this vertically integrated business model viable, we will expand, first in southern California then throughout California.

Thank you for your consideration of our request. We will construct a tasteful and visible acknowledgement of our sponsors at the front of the new clinic facility. We would be grateful to include substantial donors in our display of thanks, viewable by the public.