Fresno's largest no-kill shelter expanding their medical services

Wednesday, June 20, 2018
Fresno's largest no-kill shelter expanding services
Five days a week, from opening until closing, the Valley Animal Center Clinic serves the community and their four legged friends.

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Five days a week, from opening until closing, the Valley Animal Center Clinic serves the community and their four-legged friends.

Some of their services include spaying and neutering, vaccinations, and wellness checks. Not only do they provide this to pet owners, but they also fix their own rescues and help other shelters as well. But increased demand for their low-cost services means a need for more space, so now they are expanding their clinic.

Devon Prendergast, with Valley Animal Center's Community Relations, said, "Our new expansion will be where you go for your walk-in services, for vaccines, microchips, flea treatment, de-worming."

The new privately funded expansion will transform their current 5,000 square foot perpetual care sanctuary into the new clinic. Some of the new features include two exam rooms, a vaccination room, and a new dental cleaning area.

The current clinic will still play a major role, it will become a surgery center, focusing on spays and neuters.

"We have already been able to do some of the research on how much it is going to impact the community-- and that is what is really exciting for us that we are doing the right thing," said Prendergast.

Prendergast said they will be able to fix 2,000 more pets and provide 5,000 more wellness exams each year.

"It will entice people to take that extra step and get that extra vaccine and get that tic and flea treatment because we are able to offer that product a lower cost for them."

With the new facility also comes a new schedule-- they will still be open five days a week, but for the first time one of those days will be on the weekend.

The expansion is expected to be completed this August.