Mobile veterinarian services expands to Edmonton

CTV Edmonton: Alberta's mobile veterinarians A mobile-vet business based in Calgary is expanding into Edmonton and Sherwood Park.

An Alberta entrepreneur offering pet owners mobile-veterinarian services has expanded to Edmonton and Sherwood Park.

Dr. Wendy McCelland began Vets To Go, based in Calgary, about five years ago and said making home visits for animals has been a unique experience.

“They kind of see me as an unusual house guest rather than a vet so they are more relaxed and more content to let me do a full exam.”

Brad and Michelle Koshka said they were impressed at how relaxed their three-month old pup Reese was during their first in-home visit.

“I just noticed a big difference in terms of her comfort level,” Michelle said.

“It is always you have to go out to get the service kind of thing. The idea of old time service where someone is coming to you seems to be something that has been lost,” Brad added.

“It is kind of nice to have that connection again.”

Local mobile-veterinarian Dr. Gillian Mackie agreed that home visits were different from office visits.

“Even the people are just different. They just share more stuff with you.

“You develop a closer bond with the client.”

With a staff of six veterinarians McCelland said they can perform most services for the animals except for surgeries.

“We have sister clinics that we provide surgery out of,” she explained.

McCelland said one of their most popular calls was for at-home euthanasia.

“The family can be right with them the whole time and the pets are comfortable in their own environments,” she explained.

“People can be relaxed. They are more open to express their feelings.”

She described one family’s experience, which was held in their backyard.

“They had music playing. They had a whole bed set out and it was in their beautiful garden.

“It was just so peaceful.”

With files from Amanda Anderson