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The last veterinarians in town

Juneau Animal Rescue veterinarian Tracy Ward milks a baby kitten on her break.
Nate Hegyi
/
NHPR
Juneau Animal Rescue veterinarian Tracy Ward milks a baby kitten during her break.

If you've been having trouble getting in with a veterinarian, you're not imagining it. Across the country, pet care is increasingly hard to come by, and more vets are leaving the job.

Alaska’s capital city, Juneau, has lost roughly half of its veterinarians since the pandemic began. Pet owners often have to wait several weeks for an appointment, surgery is scarce and 24/7 emergency care doesn’t exist.

Sam Smith, one of just a handful of full-time veterinarians in Juneau, Alaska, provides dental care to a miniature horse nicknamed Skeletor.
Nate Hegyi
Sam Smith, one of just a handful of full-time veterinarians in Juneau, Ala., provides dental care to a miniature horse nicknamed Skeletor.

Now, a local animal shelter is stepping up to try and fill the gap for desperate pet owners, who often have nowhere else to turn.

In an industry rife with burnout, turnover, and high suicide rates, veterinarians and vet technicians are being forced to choose between taking care of animals and taking care of themselves.

Featuring Tracy Ward, Jocelyn Andrea, Krista Miller, Sam Smith, and Sam Blankenship.

Outside/In is a podcast! Subscribe wherever you get yours.

Before joining New Hampshire Public Radio in February 2022, Nate covered public lands, federal agencies and tribal affairs as a reporter for the Mountain West News Bureau, a consortium of NPR member stations in the region. Nate's work has aired on NPR, BBC, CBC and other outlets.
Outside/In is a show where curiosity and the natural world collide. Click here for podcast episodes and more.
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