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| Project Street Vet, street veterinary medicine: providing veterinary care to unhoused pet families, mary cummins, animal advocates, dr kwane stewart, dr kristen schmidt, |
Topic: Street Veterinary Medicine: Providing Veterinary Care to Unhoused Pet Families
Time: Jul 23, 2026 03:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) from CANVAS Canadian Veterinary Access Strategy.
Dr Kristen Schmidt offered the seminar. She is a licensed veterinarian working with Dr. Kwane Stewart and Project Street Vet in Atlanta. Dr. Kwane Stewart promoted the seminar to me and others.
https://www.projectstreetvet.org/
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| Project Street Vet, street veterinary medicine: providing veterinary care to unhoused pet families, mary cummins, animal advocates, dr kwane stewart, dr kristen schmidt, |
What is veterinary street medicine?
Providing care directly to people experiencing homelessness who may not have access to care in traditional settings. We provide care and protect the human animal bond.
There are about 750,000 homeless people every night in USA. There may be even more.
Pets give purpose, protection, companionship and help human mental health. Veterinary care helps pets and people.
The problem is a barrier to care , transportation issues, money concerns, limited communication methods, limited hours, limited documentation for animals and people, fear of judgment, housing instability and literacy issues. The problem is not a lack of concern for pets but lack of accessible services. We are breaking down those barriers.
Trauma informed care. Trauma affects how homeless interact with people. 67% have mental health disorders. They have mainly PTSD, anxiety, depression. Animals help those things. We explore barriers they face to vet care. We don’t ask why they didn’t get vet care sooner. Instead we offer choices to help their pets. We use proper language, i.e. person experiencing homelessness and not homeless. We try to build trust.
Legal issues: make sure your insurance covers volunteer roles. Create valid client and vet care relationships. VCPR (Veterinary Client Patient Relationship) regulations must be followed in field. You must do annual visits even in field on the street. Must obtain informed consent. We can’t run all labs before prescribe meds. Some are illiterate and can’t read. Must read the documents for them. Accurate medical records. Follow state and local rabies vaccines laws. There must be a consent form.
Sometimes there is unclear pet ownership. Animal has been passed person to person, some animals are communally owned.
Street medicine kit
Backpack, cooler, stethoscope, thermometer, scale, otoscope, point of care diagnostic tests such as parvo. Preventative care: vaccines, flea/tick, heartworm meds, medications, antibiotics, eye/ear meds, safety operations for fearful animals such a slip leads, muzzles, gloves.
Community resources: Spayneuter vouchers and medical referrals.
Core vaccines: dogs: distemper, parvo, rabies, leptospirosis, bordatella,
Feline: Per AVMA, fvrcp, rabies. Minimum.
The followup is different. One vaccine better than none. They benefit. Unless less than 16 weeks old. With lepto they definitely need two shots.
Flea, tick prevention: most common problem is flea allergy dermantitis. Use safe longer acting medications. Give first dose in the field. Don’t just give to pet owner to administer. We use Bravecto 3 months.
Most common meds used: Antibiotic clavamox. tablet and liquid. Homeless don’t have refrigerators so give tablets and not liquid. Metacam, for pain. Okay for temporary pain. Prednisone for allergy, inflammation, temporary use. Use serenium, anti nausea for parvo. Give an injection and tablets to go. Meds for diarrhea, caused by diet changes, stress, moving, parvo.
Ear meds: Clean ears and use single dose long lasting meds. It should last for 30.
Medication considerations: safety, storage, dosing complexity, potential for abuse. Use lowest quantity for limited time. Opioids. Avoid abuse and potential for abuse
Narcan. Can save an animals life. Signs of OD, inpoint pupils, blank stare, lethargic, respiratory depression, ataxia. It happens within 15 min of exposure. How use nasal narcan. Wear gloves. It only has one spray. Don’t prime. Tilt head back gently, insert into one nostril and press firmly. 4 mg melaxone. If no improvement within 2-3 minutes, give second dose 4 mg narcane in other nostril. 4 mg per 55 lbs dose. Difficult to OD on Narcan. Symptoms can return after 15 mins as opoids stay in system. If they do, give another dose.
Case studies
1. Siri 12 yr mixed breed spayed. Haven’t seen vet in while, living in car. Skin concerns. Itching, hair loss, fleas, flea allergy dermatitis. Naked in rear. We gave flea meds, no steroids, gave vaccines, drontal plus, bravecto, hair mousse meds.
2. Marley 3 yrs spayed, lives in encampment, eye issues. Rule out corneal ulcer, flush eyes with artificial tears, lubricate 3-4x day.
3. Rex 2 yr dog German Shepherd, intact, lives in a tent, losing weight, parvo test, negative, intestinal parasite, treat worms, guardia treatment, Seresto collar.
What if we see parvo? Better in clinic but trying monoclonal antibodies via IV, antibiotics, deworm, antinausea meds, fluids.
4. Bella 1.5 female pitbull intact, living in encampment, had first litter. Is owner good at giving care? If not, should be hospitalized. Fluids, antibiotic injection, baytril, wounds cleaned, gave puppy diet, bravecto. Saw almost every day for after care.
END
Questions:
How do you tell them to give meds?
We leave pill pockets. Suggest cheese, deli meat, peanut butter,
How deal with euthanasia?
We explain everything, and that animal is suffering and best may be euthanasia. We don’t carry euth drugs. We partner with local hospitals, ERs. Many will do free euth.
How do you rapidly build trust with people? Tips?
Treat like a person, we’re all people, wear regular clothes, I go in their tent, talk about their pets, sit on the ground with their pets. We offer care as an open ended question.
How handle when resistant to vaccines or treatment?
If not open, okay, then offer something else, a free collar, toy. Next time they may do vaccines.
How do you label meds with instructions?
Plain blank stickers. Simple language. Check list.
(My question) How bring up spay neuter with pets?
See a lot of breeding, constant litters. We tell them benefits of spay and neuter, health, pyometria, loyalty, hit by car, (fighting). Many never educated about it. We will cover cost, transportation, break down barriers.
Project street vet now has a surgery mobile van. Do spay neuter on the mobile. I pull up to encampments and spay neuter on street in the mobile van.
I now carry controlled substances with the mobile. Post op care is biggest challenge. Going back to tent and not house. I put clear tattoo barrier on surgical incisions after surgery.
Follow up care? How deal with it?
Can tell by talking to them if they are capable. Do they have a phone? Live in same location? Know what day it is?
Last question: Is the number unhoused living with pets increasing?
Yes. When I first started I didn’t think homeless with pets was prevalent. I treat 300-400 per year. Once one sees another with pets others want one. It’s building. Some become homeless with pets and some rescue strays while on street.
30 people in the seminar.
Disclaimer: No one is giving veterinary advice. Please, consult a veterinarian for veterinary advice. This seminar was for veterinarians, vet techs and volunteers.
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