Ontario SPCA and Collège Boréal launch veterinary clinic in Sudbury

The Ontario SPCA has partnered with Collège Boréal to open a new permanent veterinary clinic in Sudbury.

Before the partnership, the Ontario SPCA ran a mobile clinic in the area to spay and neuter pets.

Hope Lumbis, manager of the Sudbury Regional Veterinary Clinic, said veterinarians from the area, and from southern Ontario, will work with Collège Boréal veterinary care technician students to provide basic service for pet owners in the area.

Those services include regular vaccinations and spaying and neutering dogs and cats.

"We don't do sick animals or medical care," Lumbis said. "That's when they need to have that established relationship with a vet."

Lumbis said the clinic can offer services at a discount for people who are on social assistance or have Indigenous status.

Kiana McFadden-Houle, the program manager for Collège Boréal's veterinary care technician program, said the college is renting its surgical spaces to the Ontario SPCA.

Students will work closely with veterinarians to help with microchipping, vaccinations and helping the animals recover from their surgeries.

"It allows them to have a bilingual, work-integrated environment," McFadden-Houle said.

"So this is really working in complement together with our veterinary care technician program."

Lumbis said students will also get a chance to see what it's like to work in a veterinary clinic and what their preferences might be after they graduate.

"Maybe, you know, shelter medicine is something they want to go into, or maybe they want to be able to help in general practice."