LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — A Lexington Veterinarian says an increase in pet ownership during the pandemic may be one reason he's seeing a spike in demand for services at his clinic.
Richmond Road Veterinary Clinic expanded hours to seven days a week and is currently hiring for all positions, said Veterinarian Dr. Kevin Smith.
"We have a lot of new owners, people who've never had dogs, never had cats, and need to know what to do," Smith said.
More than 11 million U.S. households got a new pet during the pandemic, according to an October report from the American Pet Products Association.
Americans spent $103.6 billion on pet products in 2020, and will spend an estimated $109.6 billion in 2021, according to the APPA.
The Richmond Road clinic is fully staffed, but needs to expand to meet growing demand.
"We're seeing more and more patients so we need more and more employees," Dr. Smith said.
Dr. Smith added that it takes a special person to work in a veterinary clinic, and it can be difficult to find the right fit for open positions.
"It's very physically demanding, it's very emotionally demanding, it's very mentally demanding," he said.
But Smith said his staff will work as hard as they can to care for their patients.
"There's no more rewarding job in the world than to take in a pet, care for them, get them better and send them home to love their family," he said.
