Itty Bitty Kitty Committee opens low-cost veterinary clinic for everyone

The Itty Bitty Kitty Committee has opened Harbour Veterinary Clinic on Victoria's Bay Street, a low-cost, full-service clinic for cats and dogs that grew from a spay-and-neuter mobile unit. Staff say the clinic operates as a high-volume, low-cost service and also houses animals for adoption.

What began as a low-cost spay-and-neuter mobile clinic has expanded into a full-service veterinary office called Harbour Veterinary Clinic on Victoria's Bay Street. The clinic opened in August, about a year after the mobile unit began, and aims to provide more affordable veterinary care for pet owners across the region. Staff say the service is intended for all pet owners, not only those with low incomes. The clinic also works with the Itty Bitty Kitty Committee to house animals available for adoption. Key details: - The clinic was established by the Itty Bitty Kitty Committee and is named Harbour Veterinary Clinic, located on Victoria's Bay Street. - It serves both cats and dogs and offers services including vet appointments, dental work, and surgeries. - The operation evolved from a mobile spay-and-neuter program aimed at reducing barriers to fixing feral and community cats and addressing local pet overpopulation. - Staff describe the model as a "high-volume, low-cost" clinic, noting lower prices result from buying supplies in bulk and administrative efficiencies. - The clinic also functions as an adoption site and plans to expand specialized veterinary services but reports it needs more patients to sustain and grow the model. Summary: The clinic provides a combined veterinary and adoption operation designed to lower cost barriers to care across the region. Clinic leaders say they plan to bring in more specialized veterinarians but need increased patient volume to maintain the high-volume, low-cost approach.