Welcome to Pro-Bone-O

Pro-Bone-O is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides free veterinary care, food, and supplies to pets of people who are homeless.

Breaking Ground!!

December 13, 2009 was a great day for a ground-breaking celebration. Yes, a ground-breaking celebration! Pro-Bone-O and the Community Veterinary Center have collaborated to bring both our dreams to fruition - a permanent veterinary clinic eventually providing full-time comprehensive, compassionate care to the pets of no- and low-income families in Lane County.

How will this work? It is anticipated that sometime during 2010, Pro-Bone-O will move to the renovated modular unit donated by the Creswell School District onto the land provided by St. Vincent de Paul where we will continue to provide our twice-monthly clinics serving the pets of people who are homeless.

Community Veterinary Center will continue fund-raising to add staff and supplies necessary to open the clinic for additional days to the wider community of both no- and low-income clients, beginning with a three-day per week schedule. Clearly, this is a large undertaking, but we are confident that our shared dreams will be realized. In such a supportive community as ours, we cannot fail.

The turnout for our ground-breaking was great and it was wonderful that so many of our community members joined us on this momentous occasion.

Joining our celebration, Mayor Kitty Piercy, Commissioner Rob Handy, Greenhill Executive Director Cary Lieberman, and Senator Peter DeFazio's wife, Bernie, all shared their thoughts about the importance of this shared vision and what it will mean to our pet-loving community members who are currently unable, for economic reasons, to provide veterinary care for their beloved companions.

After a few more heartfelt words from Diana Huntington and Jackie Rice, board members of CVC (and Pro-Bone-O volunteers), our own board president, Anne Baden, helped to thank some of our very generous community members for their efforts in making our shared visions a reality.

And then, what we all had been waiting for - under a beautiful blue sky and bright sun Kate Joost and her dog, Maggie, officially broke ground and buried the ceremonial bone - the very real "first step" for the building.

Giving Thanks

We give our heart-felt thanks to those who donated their time, their services, and their money to help make this a possibility. As we always say, "We couldn't do it without you!"

St. Vincent de Paul Society of Lane County, Terry McDonald Executive Director

Creswell School District

Dave Guadagni, Architect

Joey Gayles, General Contractor

Chris Schoap

Anonymous Donor, Oregon Community Foundation

McKenzie River Gathering

Mick Helton, DVM

Thomas Kingforth

Steve Smith, Imagine Photographics

John Crocker, Crocker Design

Libby Tower

Minuteman Press

Selco Credit Union
Past and present board members of Pro-Bone-O and the Community Veterinary Center
The many individual donors who have truly made this grass-roots effort a success
And last, but by no means least, our incredible volunteers

Pro-Bone-O is a non-profit organization that provides free veterinary services, food and supplies for the pets of people who are homeless in the Lane County area.

The services are provided through clinics held the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month, except May, November and December when clinics are held on the 2nd Sunday. The clinics are set up in space donated by St. Vincent de Paul at its Lindholm Service Center, 450 Hwy. 99 N., in Eugene, Oregon. Clinic hours are 9:00 am until 1:00 pm. A lottery system determines the order clients are seen and clients should arrive by 8:30 a.m. to participate in the lottery.

In one word: volunteers. Each one of our 21 clinics is staffed by one local area veterinarian and at least two veterinary technicians. Our vet techs are upper-class veterinary students studying at the Oregon State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

One coordinator, a co-coordinator and three community volunteers who process intake documents, provide rabies certifications and licensing information, provide spay/neuter vouchers, and dispense food and supplies round out the clinic staff.

Many local veterinarians who are unable to volunteer their time and expertise at the clinics donate supplies, vaccines, medicine, equipment, pet food, and flea products. We are also fortunate that several local area businesses donate food and supplies for our clinics. These donations, in addition to what we receive from individuals and families provide the backbone of our clinics.

Behind the scenes are the volunteers working to organize and run the clinics, raise funds, collect donated food, supplies, vaccines and medicines. Truly we are a community-based organization.

Pro-Bone-O provides services to homeless people, those who do not have a fixed, regular, or adequate residence. We consider someone homeless in these situations: