Remote Area Medical announces free pet clinic this fall

— Remote Area Medical, which provided medical care for 1,868 underserved people in Manatee County over two days last November, is partnering with a local animal organization to create a one-day free clinic for needy puppies, dogs, kittens and cats of Manatee and Sarasota counties from 3-8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10 .

The first RAM/Animal Network Veterinary Clinic will be at Braden River High School, 6545 State Road 70, Bradenton, organizers Len O’Hara of RAM and Sue Kolze of Animal Network announced Tuesday.

“This clinic is for folks who normally could not afford this kind of thing,” O’Hara said.

Pets will get a full wellness examination, O’Hara added.

“They will get a whole battery of vaccinations and will receive vouchers for spay and neuter to either Animal Rescue Coalition or Humane Society of Manatee County,” O’Hara said. “They also get microchipped so we can do a better job of tracking.”

Organizers say their goal of raising $59,000 will handle about 500 pets.

“Our target is to have 20 vets and 40 vet technicians on hand and so far we are halfway there,” O’Hara said.

For pets of the underserved populations, this can be their “lifeline,” Kolze said.

“There is so much written about therapy dogs and these animals are therapy,” O’Hara said. “They are loved as much as any family member is loved.”

Besides Animal Network, which has taken a leading role in organizing the event, Humane Society of Manatee County and Animal Rescue Coalition in Sarasota have committed to helping at the event.

O’Hara and Kolze are reaching out to professional volunteers and other animal shelters to get involved.

“We’re piggy-backing on a very successful event and grateful to be able to use their name,” said O’Hara, who explained RAM is only supplying a few resources to the pet event as well as lending its name.

RAM will host a three-day human clinic from Nov. 11-13 at Manatee Technical College. A total of 2.400 patients are expected to be treated this year, according to RAM officials.

Kolze said anyone with questions about the pet clinic or who wishes to help, can call her at 941-729-8631. Send donations to: RAM/Animal Network Veterinary Clinic, c/o Sue Kolze, 610 Ixora Ave., Ellenton 34222.

This story was originally published June 7, 2016 at 5:03 PM with the headline "Remote Area Medical announces free pet clinic this fall."