MONTEGO BAY, St James - ANIMAL lovers in Pumpkin Bottom, Sandy Bay, Hanover, had much to smile about over the festive season.

Less than two months after several homes were flooded in the community during the passage of Hurricane Sandy in October, the Montego Bay-based Vet4Pets conducted an outreach day clinic for animals in the area.

During the one-day clinic Vet4Pets team members disseminated valuable information to pet owners about routine medication and the importance of spaying and neutering animals in a bid to reduce the number of unwanted litters.

Vet4Pets also distributed food donated by Lupo Distributors, as well as flea and tick preventative medication from Hi-Pro Farm Supplies, while spaying and neutering of several dogs from the flood-ravaged community were conducted at the Vet4 Pets’ state-of-the-art medical centre in Montego Bay.

The team at the centre, led by Dr Laura Williams, say they firmly believe in giving back to the community.

“If you are a vet by heart and not just by profession you give charity every day in some way. But we like to target specific communities during the holiday season and give back. It's not just about medical care but education and guiding the clients to become better pet owners,” she explained.

She stressed that although one may think that the outreach in Pumpkin Bottom was primarily about animals, one must understand the impact an animal’s health can have on the health of human beings.

“We are trying to change the mindset of the people as it relates to animal care, and so for the outreach at Pumpkin Bottom we carried educational material and treats for the children; we spoke to them about diseases that humans can get from the animals, which is referred to as Zoonotic diseases. It was really about sensitising persons about the fact that if your pet is sick chances are your family’s health can be affected, as well,” she stressed.

Vet4Pets Medical Centre located on Gloucester Avenue, Montego Bay, since August 2011, is said to be the only veterinary medical centre in the resort city with its own in-house laboratory.

The centre offers a range of veterinary services, including medical and dental animal procedures and grooming services. It also offers a number of products, geared towards the well-being of animals.