Corporate Partner Highlight: AZPetVet
As a homegrown business in the Valley of the Sun, AZPetVet remains committed to giving back to the community that has supported us for 38 years! Since opening our first location in 1984, the AZPetVet family has grown to include 22 small animal general practices across the Greater Phoenix area. Reflecting on this past year, we are grateful to have partnerships with some incredible organizations that support the animal-loving community and the human-animal bond, as well as those that are committed to the future of our veterinary industry.
One of the partners we are honored to work with is the College of Veterinary Medicine at UofA, as they educate and develop the next generation of amazing veterinarians and industry leaders. Since the program's inception, we have collaborated with the CVM leadership in various ways, from developing externships and clinical rotations to implementing a student scholarship program. All CVM students in good academic standing were eligible for the scholarship, and faculty members reviewed submissions and selected students from each academic year to receive the awards. Congratulations to all nine of the VetCat scholarship recipients this year!
And, since community and industry involvement is so important to us, we wanted to help all students get connected by sponsoring each student’s annual AzVMA membership. The College is essential to our local community, and we’re excited to see the first graduating class join the veterinary profession in 2023!
We also understand and fully embrace the importance of the wellness of those who work in our industry. This fall, we had the opportunity to participate in the Not One More Vet (NOMV) Race Around the World virtual event. The NOMV organization focuses on furthering research and raising awareness around the mental health of those working in the veterinary industry to help create healthier vet teams. All AZPetVet team members were invited and encouraged to join our race team, and together we raised more than $8,000 for such an important cause.
Regarding animal rescue partnerships, there are some amazing non-profits across the country. Still, some of the most passionate and dedicated organizations can be found here in our backyard. For several years we have partnered with various groups, including The LovePup Foundation and GrandPaws Pantry. The LovePup Foundation–started by radio personality Johnjay Van Es (whose “Johnjay and Rich” show first got its start on KRQQ in Tucson in 2001) and his wife Blake, are committed to providing rescue pets with a loving environment and medical care needed before being placed with their forever family. Through our donation drive, we collected 5,251 pounds of dog food and a donation of $6,300, in addition to our $50,000 annual medical grant to ensure LovePup has the resources needed to rehome dogs in our community safely. GrandPaws Pantry’s Senior Companion Pet Care Program is designed to help senior citizens on fixed\limited income live happily with their companion pets. We were honored to deliver 5,454 cans of dog and cat food, beds, and treats, as well as a donation of $2900 to aid in their mission. We are continually humbled by the generosity of our clients, team members, and the members of our community who donate to assist their neighbors in need.
The human-animal bond is one of the strongest relationships ever, and no one knows that, like the incredible teams at Gabriel’s Angels. For over two decades, Gabriel’s Angels have brought innovative pet therapy to at-risk youth in Arizona. Pet Therapy Teams help create a sense of well-being and happiness for children in a safe environment while working to build critical core behaviors such as trust, empathy, respect, tolerance, and self-esteem. Each Pet Therapy Team impacts an average of 80-100 children annually! AZPetVet is proud to be a recurring presenting sponsor for two annual fundraising events each year in support of this partner organization committed to bettering the lives of at-risk children through pet therapy.
The team at AZPetVet is intensely passionate about what we do and how we can make a difference in the lives of our clients, pet patients, and those in our community. We are grateful for the incredible partnerships; when the animal-loving community comes together, we all win!