Page 5 - Finding Sanctuary_August 2020

At one point during the lockdown months of COVID-19, the hospital had 72 staff members out, either
because they were being quarantined or they were home with their young children. That put a huge
strain on those who came to work, with the added worry of possibly getting sick. Dr. Stobie reports
that, thankfully, no one on staff became ill. As for the patients and their families, the humans were in-
credibly grateful that NorthStar remained open, even with the protocols. Early on, most were afraid
of being inside, so waiting in their cars was acceptable. Dr. Stobie reports that about 99% of people
are fine with the remaining restrictions, although there are a few who do not want to comply.
“It’s my job and responsibility to protect our staff and clients. We want to be able to remain open and
serve the public, so we’re taking every precaution possible,” Dr. Stobie says. “And we expect people to
honor that if they come in.”

The pets have even shown themselves to be under stress, just like people. Dr. Stobie’s staff has seen
more dog bites in these last few months than they typically see all year. “I think there’s something to
it that the animals are getting cranky too, from being cooped up….Maybe they’re reacting to people’s
stress or maybe because they were locked up and now they’re socializing and they’re not used to it,”
he surmises. The hospital is also seeing that dogs living in the same household for years are biting
each other. “It’s just been a very odd phenomenon,” he says.

When asked what pet parents should know when they visit an animal hospital during these unprece-
dented times, Dr. Stobie shares that some medications used for animals are also used for people. Be-
cause so many people are ill right now, there may be a shortage of medications such as pain relievers
and those used for anesthesia. When a decision must be made between who receives the available
medication, people receive priority over animals. In some cases, a certain drug may be on back order
for two weeks. “We’ve been having to pivot here and there…to try to deal with the ebbs and flows of
the fallout from the Corona virus,” explains Dr. Stobie.

With COVID-19 still looming over us, keep in mind that vets and staff are working harder than ever
with both short staffing and short supplies. Wait times are also longer. Dr. Stobie asks that people be
kind, patient, and understanding. “Everyone’s at their wit’s end because of the Corona virus, and they
get frustrated easily. But we’re here to serve the public and we’re working more than we have ever
worked before,”.

Considering that vets are still doing their best to keep our pets healthy and happy, we need to honor
that request and appreciate all they do for us in the face of a mysterious and dangerous virus.

Keep an eye out for the next story in our series “Vets are Heroes Too!” which we will highlight a
veterinarian specializing in at-home euthanasia during COVID-19.