Mobile Vet Service Spays Cats Cheaply
With her mobile vet clinic in tow, veterinarian Angie Ruppel is on a mission to reduce the feral cat population - at least in her corner of Northwest Wisconsin. Evidence of her work can be seen by cats with ear tips clipped off - her calling card that she has spayed/neutered them.
“The need is out there, and people want this service,” Ruppel says.
By being mobile and not having the overhead expenses of building ownership, her fees are affordable and she still makes a profit. For $55 she spays/neuters and vaccinates outdoor cats for rabies and distemper. Fees for indoor cats are $45 for males and $65 for females with additional fees for vaccines. Typical clients are people who feed stray cats or farmers with lots of cats around who don’t want to pay higher fees at vet clinics.
A few key factors make Ruppel’s operation work. The DYIer started by gutting an old ice fishing trailer, insulating it and installing aluminum and stainless steel furnishings to transform it into a mobile clinic. Then she worked with area humane societies and others to book appointments (a minimum of 35 cats) and volunteers as helpers when she arrives.
Ruppel works for a veterinary clinic a couple of days a week and operates her Purple Cat business the rest of the time. She uses her trailer clinic about a third of the time, but many humane societies have set up rooms for her to work in.
“I’ve been a vet for 16 years and use the same surgery, same anesthesia, and same medication as in a regular vet clinic. I can do a 5-minute cat spay,” Ruppel says. With a helper she can accommodate up to 50 cats a day, and she estimates she has neutered about 3,000 cats since she started a year ago.
She takes her mobile clinic to farms and places where people live trap feral cats. For example, one customer grew up on a farm where there were lots of cats, and she recalls loving the kittens when they were born, then being heartbroken when they died because of disease and inbreeding. As an adult she hired Ruppel to neuter the cats on her parents’ farm to end the cycle. Another elderly client in a trailer court feeds stray cats, but couldn’t afford to have them neutered. Working with the Farm, Feral & Stray organization (www.farmferalstray.org) and with donations and funding, Ruppel was able to spay/neuter them to prevent the cat population from expanding.
The veterinarian is licensed in Wisconsin and typically travels up to 2 hrs. from her Cumberland, Wis., home for her clinics.
She encourages other vets to offer similar services in their regions.
“My advice would be to get a day or two of training with vets who do high volume to make faster surgeries. That’s what I did, I just observed and practiced. Once the word is out, people want the service,” Ruppel says. And though the fees are lower, vets will earn extra income and do a valuable service at the same time.
Only in operation for a year, she says one local humane society reported that last year they had the lowest intake of cats in the last 5 years.
“I grew up a dog person, but have fallen in love with cats,” Ruppel says. She figures that one of the best ways she can care for them is by keeping the feral population under control.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Angie Ruppel (www.purplecatvet.com; afruppel@gmail.com).
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Mobile Vet Service Spays Cats Cheaply LIVESTOCK DOGS With her mobile vet clinic in tow veterinarian Angie Ruppel is on a mission to reduce the feral cat population - at least in her corner of Northwest Wisconsin Evidence of her work can be seen by cats with ear tips clipped off - her calling card that she has spayed/neutered them “The need is out there and people want this service ” Ruppel says By being mobile and not having the overhead expenses of building ownership her fees are affordable and she still makes a profit For $55 she spays/neuters and vaccinates outdoor cats for rabies and distemper Fees for indoor cats are $45 for males and $65 for females with additional fees for vaccines Typical clients are people who feed stray cats or farmers with lots of cats around who don’t want to pay higher fees at vet clinics A few key factors make Ruppel’s operation work The DYIer started by gutting an old ice fishing trailer insulating it and installing aluminum and stainless steel furnishings to transform it into a mobile clinic Then she worked with area humane societies and others to book appointments a minimum of 35 cats and volunteers as helpers when she arrives Ruppel works for a veterinary clinic a couple of days a week and operates her Purple Cat business the rest of the time She uses her trailer clinic about a third of the time but many humane societies have set up rooms for her to work in “I’ve been a vet for 16 years and use the same surgery same anesthesia and same medication as in a regular vet clinic I can do a 5-minute cat spay ” Ruppel says With a helper she can accommodate up to 50 cats a day and she estimates she has neutered about 3 000 cats since she started a year ago She takes her mobile clinic to farms and places where people live trap feral cats For example one customer grew up on a farm where there were lots of cats and she recalls loving the kittens when they were born then being heartbroken when they died because of disease and inbreeding As an adult she hired Ruppel to neuter the cats on her parents’ farm to end the cycle Another elderly client in a trailer court feeds stray cats but couldn’t afford to have them neutered Working with the Farm Feral & Stray organization www farmferalstray org and with donations and funding Ruppel was able to spay/neuter them to prevent the cat population from expanding The veterinarian is licensed in Wisconsin and typically travels up to 2 hrs from her Cumberland Wis home for her clinics She encourages other vets to offer similar services in their regions “My advice would be to get a day or two of training with vets who do high volume to make faster surgeries That’s what I did I just observed and practiced Once the word is out people want the service ” Ruppel says And though the fees are lower vets will earn extra income and do a valuable service at the same time Only in operation for a year she says one local humane society reported that last year they had the lowest intake of cats in the last 5 years “I grew up a dog person but have fallen in love with cats ” Ruppel says She figures that one of the best ways she can care for them is by keeping the feral population under control Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Angie Ruppel www purplecatvet com; afruppel@gmail com
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