To ensure pets receive the care they deserve, Oregon Humane Society has opened a new facility that serves everyone, with a core mission of providing subsidized care for those in need.

“Please give me a home” was the plea written on a tag attached to Bella’s leash, a dog tied up outside a Portland Walmart. A store employee took her in and kept her safe and began detailing Bella’s plight on social media, which didn’t take long to go viral.

One of the posts’ readers was James, “Looking at her photo, I saw something in her, and I knew we had to go get her.” When James and his partner, Deb, met Bella in person, the connection was apparent. “It was love at first sight,” he says.

Bella needed more than love, though. Her raw infected skin required treatment by a veterinarian. James and Deb knew that would be expensive, so they asked their regular vet what to do and he referred them to the Oregon Humane Society’s (OHS) new Community Veterinary Hospital in Northeast Portland. There, after two months of healing care, Bella transformed into a beautiful, healthy dog.

Long before the pandemic, Oregon Humane Society recognized that the need for basic pet care was on the rise and would continue to increase. There was also an increased recognition of the importance of keeping pets with the people who love them.

“At the time, eight years ago, we only offered low cost spay and neuter surgeries,” says Dr. Stephen Kochis, Chief Medical Officer for Oregon Humane Society.

“We wanted to do more,” says Kochis. “That’s when the concept of the new veterinary hospital was born.”

The largest expansion project in OHS’ history was completed in late 2022 and includes the Community Veterinary Hospital, Behavior and Rescue Center and an Animal Crimes Forensic Center. According to Dr. Kochis, since opening in October 2022, the Community Veterinary Hospital has had 22,000 patient visits and provided $450,000 in subsidized care.

Three Ways to Pay

Dr. Kochis says veterinarians face a scenario, almost once a day, where the pet’s problem is fixable, but the owner can’t afford to fix it. Then the vet may have to follow a less-than-ideal treatment plan that may not work or the owner must surrender the pet.

“After a while, that crushes your soul,” he says, “and that’s one of the reasons why there’s a shortage of veterinarians.”

To change the outcome for the pet and its owner, the new Community Veterinary Hospital uses a subsidy model so pets get the best care no matter what the owner’s financial status. Clients who pay in full are critical to offset the cost of providing subsidies to those in need. This makes a great opportunity for pet owners to help each other.

Three tiers of payments exist:

1. Clients who pay in full.

2. Clients who get a 15% discount on charges.

3. Clients on government assistance receive a 25% discount.

For those who can’t pay even with the subsidy, Oregon Humane Society has partnerships with other nonprofits and organizations that can help them. Dr. Kochis and his team are committed to figuring out a way to help pet owners get the veterinary care they need.

Services the Hospital Provides

Staffed with seven full-time veterinarians, this veterinary hospital offers preventive care, dentistry, surgery, vaccines, x-rays, ultrasound exams, digital imaging, spay/neuter and urgent care. In its 13,000 square-foot area, the hospital has room to grow in the future.

“We have lots of space to move into,” says Kochis. ”And we know there is tremendous need in the community for our services.”

If you’re looking for a vet and would like to help the community, OHS’ Community Veterinary Hospital welcomes new clients.