Although having a private veterinarian's office may be ideal, there are several reasons to invest in a mobile clinic. If your practice can reduce business costs while providing more services to pet owners, it might be worth considering making the transition.
Less Overhead
You may think it is expensive to make the transition to mobile care, but it is not always true. Providing care in an office setting typically requires monthly rent and utilities costs that could be invested into purchasing a large van as your office on wheels. As for equipment, many companies sell used or refurbished portable items, such as examination tables, x-ray machines, and ultrasounds. Not only are these items ideal to keep on the van, they can also be used in the field if you choose to work with large animals or in someone's home. Presumably, if your business costs less to maintain, the savings can be passed on to pet owners and vet care costs will be lower for them.
Better Access To Care
One hurdle some pet owners face is living in remote areas or facing medical problems that make it difficult for them to care for their animals sufficiently. Limited access to transportation, even in large cities, can make it difficult to own a pet because most mass transit systems only allow service animals. Access to a mobile vet can increase the quality of life for both pets and their owners when caring for their animals becomes too costly or a physical burden. Animals can remain updated on their shots and basic check-ups to minimize problems in the future. If the animal requires extensive care, such as surgery, and your van is unable to provide the service, you can transport the animal to your office.
Colony Control
When veterinarian care is easier to access, it also encourages more people to properly take care of their animals. An overlooked part of the animal population is colonies of cats, which are often cared for by people in the community, but may never be vaccinated, spayed/neutered, or have deworming treatments. Your mobile vet clinic can include volunteer vets and technicians that are willing to render care to cat colonies. This keeps them healthier, keeps colony size small, and avoids placing them in local humane societies where they may not be adopted or cannot be socialized enough to become a house pet.
Mobile vet care provides a much needed service to people who own pets, but find their access to care is limited. Making the transition to mobile care might be the right decision for your business and those you serve.
