The wobbly economy has taken a bite out of the people who care for our animals and pets.
State budget cuts and reduced spending by animal owners have triggered layoffs and furloughs at the nationally acclaimed UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Business at the school’s hospital has flattened as fewer owners of horses and cows opt for expensive treatments.
New vets, saddled with debt, face uncertain prospects if they enter the private practice market. Some are opting to continue their training instead.
The UC Davis veterinary school, which relies on state funding for about a third of its budget, has seen cuts of about $5 million in the past three years. About $2 million of the cuts were to the on-campus William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital