Occupy Wall Street Gets Free Healthcare For Furry Friends

[one_voice]

Getting affordable health care is still a struggle for many in the 99%, but for pets in Zuccotti Park, it's free. Veterinarians who support Occupy Wall Street offer free check-ups for pets in the park once a week. "I supported OWS right from the beginning," Dr. Konstantine Barsky tells the Daily News. "On the second night I realized there were a lot of animals here. I figured the best way I could participate would be giving my skills." Treating patients for pepper spray remains the same for most animals, regardless of species.

"It's reassuring to know you can take your pets here," one protester who got his dog, Genevieve, looked at by Dr. Barsky. "As things get worse in the economy, we have access to less and less health care, and the same goes for our pets." Barsky, a vet at Hope Veterinary Clinic in Brooklyn, treated ten animals on Friday, including two albino rats named Klepto and Bella, and a kitten named Munchie.

Munchie happens to be the same "Anarkitty" mentioned by a New York Post reporter who recently braved life and limb to stay with the shockingly uncouth protesters. "I don't want her to be meowing for me at the door, bored," Munchie's owner Mary Baker tells the paper. "She's my sidekick. It's never just me, myself and I. It's me and Munchie."

All animals will be treated, regardless of whether they belong to a protester or not. "We believe it's counterproductive to pass judgment on homeless people or traveling people who keep pets," Baker says. "A lot of these animals would be dead had it not been for the homeless people who took them in." A vet's assistant said the volunteers are "doing a lot of flea and tick treatments. The parasites from outside are going to be looking for warm bodies." Unless they're the certain breed of parasite that has a home on the Riviera.

http://gothamist.com/2011/11/06/occupy_wall_street_gets_free_health.php

[Skittles]

1. KUDOS TO THESE VETS

another reason for their support of OWS should be that when people are unemployed, paid less than fair wages or have no job security, it is often stuff like trips to the vet that get sidelined

[idiotgardener]

2. Yup, my vet is only working 2-3 days a week these days.

[Skittles]

4. I learned from the last recession to stash away some vet bill money

I learned it was stressful for me to deny my pets :(

[kestrel91316]

8. The tanking economy devastated my income over 4 years ago and it hasn't

come back in the least. I don't know how I stay afloat.

I spoke recently to a colleague who was apologetic about "selling out" and going to work for a corporate vet-in-a-box, but she said, "There ARE NO OTHER JOBS." Period. Absolutely no one is hiring. Practices in her area are closing and merging left and right.

I have no idea how new graduates will pay their huge vet school loans if there is no work. Imagine a doctor going to medical school and getting $150k in debt and then there being NO JOBS. And that school debt is not bankruptable.

I see personal ruin for our best and brightest. This is a national shame.

[Skittles]

11. I hear you kestrel

it makes me very much fear for the future of America, being sold out for the greed and enrichment of the 1%

[OneGrassRoot]

3. Awesome to the nth degree! See, this is what some of us were saying...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x2242136

Granted, Turn CO Blue was talking about free healthcare clinics, but veterinary services and all types of providers could potentially offer their services in some way as a show of solidarity with OWS.

I offered what I can contribute here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x2242136#2242275


Anyway, this is MOST awesome!!!

:bounce:


Thanks. :hi:

[lunatica]

5. My sincerest gratitude goes out to those veterinarians.

They truly have heart.

[varelse]

6. this is awesome :)

K&R

[one_voice]

7. kick

[Bozita]

9. K&R ... Bigtime!

[Fire Walk With Me]

10. That's what it's all about :)