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Lease latest step toward low-cost veterinary clinic

By Ashley Rader

East Tennessee Spay and Neuter is one step closer to realizing one of the major goals of the agency after signing a lease on a building for a future low-cost veterinarian clinic.

The clinic will be on Highway 19E in Bluff City near the Dollar General store.

The clinic is a part of the “Better Life for Pets and People” program introduced by ETSN a few years ago. ETSN Director Danika Nadzan said the program is designed to keep pets healthy, happy and out of the animal shelter.

“Too often, people in financial distress are accused of being irresponsible pet owners when the reality is that they care very much about their pets and will seek out spay-neuter and good veterinary care if it is affordable,” Nadzan said. “ETSN’s goal is to make it available to everyone. It’s much less expensive in the long run to keep pets with their families than it is to house, feed, and eventually euthanize them at the shelter. It’s good for the animals, it’s good for the people, and it’s good for the community.”

The program offers access to low-cost spay and neuter surgeries through the Margaret Mitchell clinic in Bristol and a pet food pantry for low-income families . ETSN had been working with Animal Resource Center in Blountville for low-cost veterinary care, but that clinic recently closed.