Photos by Kate Karp. 

In a few months, the veterinary staff at Long Beach Animal Care Services (ACS) will no longer have to work tail-to-tail in a space not much larger than a walk-in closet.

Work can now begin in earnest to install and establish the new dual-purpose veterinary clinic on ACS’s grounds. The clinic has been in the making since late 2013, and all the paperwork has finally paid off.

Realizing the clinic has been by grace of Long Beach’s pet community. The idea was proposed by members of Friends of Long Beach Animals (FOLBA), Long Beach’s most venerable animal-welfare organization, and the construction was funded through a partnership with FOLBA and ACS (read “ACS and FOLBA Tie the Knot” for details on funding, construction and usage). Procuring the 810-square-foot shell was enabled by Claudia Hoffmann, founder of the free spay/neuter effort Fix Long Beach; her employer, Paul Robles of Southwest Homes, obtained the structure from systems homes manufacturer Cavco. It was delivered Tuesday at 8:30AM.

“We’re at third base now!” said Robles.

Top, from left: Claudia Hoffmann, Ted Stevens. Bottom, from left: FOLBA board members Judy Crumpton, Nona Daly and Shirley Vaughan (president).

Getting to home plate will involve the installation of plumbing and electrical and furnishing the new clinic with spay/neuter equipment, examination tables and machinery, laundry facilities and everything else necessary for a veterinary clinic. It will be utilized Monday through Friday by ACS’s veterinary staff and by FOLBA as a low-cost spay/neuter clinic.

“I hope we can have it up and running in October,” said ACS manager Ted Stevens.

Which is when the new mandatory spay/neuter ordinance kicks in. The new clinic will be one more resource for the public.

Best doctor in the world is a veterinarian. He can’t ask his patient what’s the matter. He’s just got to know.
~Humorist Will Rogers