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When communities of lower socio-economic status lack access to health care, so do their pets. Dr. Venaya Jones is now addressing that problem in Cleveland. Dr. Jones has opened a veterinary clinic in the Fairfax section of Cleveland. According to Atlanta Black Star, this is the first black-owned veterinary clinic to be opened there.
“I feel like it’s a great opportunity here in Cleveland, especially there being no other vet hospitals here,” Dr. Jones told Cleveland’s News 5. “There are tons of people with pets, we’re in the health tech corridor. I mean, this is where quality medicine is discovered and done, and I want to be a part of that.”
At the Cleveland Veterinary Clinic, Dr. Jones is offering affordable care for services including dermatology, wellness, surgery, diagnostic exams and hospice care. They also have drop-in hours.
Dr. Jones started out making house calls to families with pets that were too sick to travel under her business The Other Family Doctor. Even though she now has her own clinic, she promises to continue to make house calls.
Being the first black woman to open and operate a veterinary clinic there, Dr. Jones is hoping to inspire youth of color to enter the veterinary field.
“I want to make myself known in the community [and] available to other minorities that want to pursue the veterinary medicine field,” the 44-year-old told Atlanta Black Star. “I want to be known as the place to go if you’re seeking mentorship, [or] to get volunteer hours, or just want to know more about the veterinary profession… I want to be able to show other [young minorities] that they can do it, anything that they dream of, because here is a Black woman that’s come into this community and made it happen.”
