As you may know, many volunteers become concerned about individual animals who appear to be ill or injured or in need of some type of medical care. These cases  include diarrhea, bloody stool, tapeworm, vomiting, limping, ear infections, coughing, rotten teeth, etc.. In some instances, volunteers have taken it upon themselves to seek outside veterinary help with little or no communication with our medical staff. To foster communication, a binder containing Vet Action Sheets will be kept in the volunteer room. The volunteers should use these forms to call attention to any problem they encounter with either the dogs or the cats. The vet techs will be expected to check these forms on a daily basis, take the appropriate action and initial the inquiry along with their comments. 

If there is an emergency at the shelter, volunteers should find a vet tech or let Cathy know immediately.   

Additionally, if any volunteer wishes to take an animal or a sample for tests to their own vet it is mandatory that the vet tech on duty be informed directly. The volunteers must be responsible for logging the report, and also responsible for checking back with the vet tech on duty to inform them of the results, (including recommendations for treatment, protocol, diet, medication, etc.) from this veterinary visit. In the case of these visits, the volunteer is responsible for the cost, unless a second opinion has been requested by the staff.