If you can't get easily to the vet, then the vet may be coming to you

Tamworth Veterinary Hospital (TVH) is introducing the clinics to focus on promoting the health and well-being of animals across the region, particularly in some of the more remote areas.

TVH director Dr Isaac Roebuck said the initiative was prompted by community requests to make veterinary services more easily accessible for residents outside of Tamworth.

"We've had good engagement with clients and recognition amongst the community that there are some areas [across the district] that are a little under-serviced," he said.

"Some clients have been finding it hard to get into town, whether that was due to transportation or financial limitations, and just an inconvenience."

All veterinary clinics in Tamworth were "really busy", and Dr Roebuck said it was hard to make time for new clients and animals travelling from new areas.

"We're now lucky enough to have the staff to be able to undertake this project," he said.

"We already do some travel to Bendemeer and Nundle for our large animal work, and that's how we started discussing the proposal with these existing clients."

After further discussion with other community members and welfare groups, Dr Roebuck said the practice identified Bendemeer and Nundle as being areas to target with the extra service.

To begin with, the pop-up clinics will focus on small animals.

"This will be for work we can do out of the back of our vehicles, consultation for such services as vaccinations, comprehensive pet heath checks, worm, flea and tick preventative health care, and microchipping," Dr Roebuck said.

"If animals require further treatment they can be booked in for an appointment at the clinic in town."

Dr Roebuck said the practice would continue to service regular clients either in the clinic or on-site at Bendemeer and Nundle by appointment as usual.

"The pop-up clinics are a long term venture, and I think we'll get good demand," he said.

"The first few might be a little bit quiet, but we're building exposure and by making regular visits we expect the service will gain traction.

"We may also be able to eventually piggy-back some large animal visits on these clinic visits as well."

Dr Roebuck said TVH had clients located "within an hour in all directions from Tamworth", and depending on how the Bendemeer and Nundle pop-up clinics were received, there was a possibility a third pop-up clinic could be added for Currabubula in the future.

The first TVH pop-up clinic will be held at Bendemeer Recreational Grounds on Tuesday, February 13, from 10am to 2pm (then every second Tuesday of the month).

The first TVH pop-up clinic will be held at Nundle Recreational Grounds on Tuesday, February 27, from 10am to 2pm (then every fourth Tuesday of the month).

Clients wishing to take advantage of the pop-up clinics should contact TVH to book a time and date.

Dr Roebuck advised owners the cat vaccine shortage of 2023 continued to be a major issue.

"All the particular drug [supply] companies are still out of the vaccines, and there will be an indefinite shortage until at least the end of the [first] quarter [of 2024]," he said.

"If any vets do have limited supplies, these are being reserved for high risk animals only."

Dr Roebuck advised cat owners with a young animal without 100 per cent protection, or an older animal overdue for vaccination, to minimise exposure to other cats by keeping them inside.

Owners should also keep their cats up to speed with other health preventative measures to reduce the risk of them contracting viruses.