Pop-up pet clinic offers Parvo vaccines after virus hits housing complex

A mobile clinic attended two housing units on Wharncliffe Road after several dogs contracted the disease at the location. CTV London’s Reta Ismail reports.

A mobile veterinary clinic offered Parvo and rabies vaccines to dozens of dogs outside a London community housing building Wednesday, following several confirmed cases of the deadly canine virus last month.

Veterinarians, in partnership with the charity Progressive Animal Welfare Services (PAWS), set up outside 349 Wharncliffe Rd., one of two London & Middlesex Community Housing (LMCH) buildings affected by the virus.

“Today is the big day, we’re running the Parvo clinic,” said Dr. Trina Hancock, owner of Sana Adelaide Animal Hospital. “We’re on site here at the apartment complex.”

Dr. Hancock volunteered her time, staff and medical supplies to the cause, citing limited access to veterinary care for low-income pet owners.

“We’ve had dogs that passed away from this virus,” she said. “I guess the term ‘outbreak’ is used because the risk is there and it’s so, so high.”

Parvovirus is a highly contagious and potentially fatal illness that spreads quickly among unvaccinated dogs, particularly in shared living environments.

Organizers say 35 dog owners paid $5 to have their pets tested. Those who tested negative were vaccinated for Parvo and rabies, while those who tested positive were offered treatment.

“As the virus spreads, it can get worse. I just want to protect my dogs,” said resident Carol Roots, whose dog Dane tested negative and received the vaccine.

PAWS board chair Linda Armstrong said the organization had been pushing for the clinic for weeks and was proud of the community effort.

“We’re feeling super about this clinic, about the way people rallied to bring it and about how the vets stepped forward to give their time voluntarily,” Armstrong said.

LMCH chief operating officer Sara De Candido said the building has dozens of registered animals, and they have held similar clinics in the past at this location. They hope to continue their partnerships to have similar clinics at other sites.

“It’s reasonable to assume there would be an unvaccinated population, which is why today is so important,” she said.

The next clinic is scheduled for Aug. 6 to offer booster shots. All the dogs who were tested for parvo today had negative results.