Haines has no veterinary care at all. But that could soon change. A veterinarian is coming to Haines for a week. Trail breaker Vet Services will establish a connection with pet owners, and hope to provide continued care online and through bi annual visits to the town.
Our furry friends in Haines travel far and wide. Cats fly to Juneau – on their own. Dogs drive to Whitehorse – as co-pilots. A lack of veterinary care is the root cause of their wanderlust. Stacey Clark is the executive director of the Haines Animal Rescue Kennel, and she set out to find a solution.
Clark: “We sent out almost 150 letters statewide.”
Clark, her staff, and some volunteers contacted all the vets they could find in Alaska, and asked them to come provide care for the town’s pets.
Clark: “It took a lot of time and research by our board members and our staff at HARK.”
For the hundreds of letters they sent, only one answer came back. Emily Iacobucci and Hannah Lazza are a vet and vet tech team from Kodiak. Together they form TrailBreaker Veterinary Services. On their website, they describe themselves as two buddies dedicated to promoting animal and human health throughout remote areas of Alaska.
They will be in Haines from July 12 through 18, and have started taking reservations. Clark says the team can provide a full range of services.
Clark: “These vets are able to do blood work and labs, and test lumps and bumps, and remove cysts and tumors, they can see dogs or cats for allergy needs, for long-term medication needs.”
Clark says the team is currently planning on coming to Haines twice a year. People in Haines can establish contact on their first consultation. Once a pet is in the system, it will be possible to do a telemedicine appointment at any time of year. Because TrailBreaker Vets is based in the U.S., getting prescriptions and medication mailed could be easier for some residents. Clark says some Haines pets are getting care in Whitehorse, but getting medicine across the border can be a problem because of regulations.
Once in town, the visiting vets will have a full schedule.
Clark: “Over the course of a week, they will be doing appointments from 8am to 8pm. So they are working long twelve-hour days.”
Clark says she sees a lot of enthusiasm for the possibility of regular veterinary services. Multiple people have offered a free place to stay for the visiting providers. And someone is loaning them a car.
Clark: “I love that Haines is wanting to roll out the red carpet for TrailBreaker Vets.”
Clark says the team handles its own reservation. Residents can set up an appointment by email. Clark says the team is also busy with their own practice at home in Kodiak, and multiple attempts to reach them for this story were unsuccessful.
