HELPING HANDS IN RICHMOND

I was sent this article. It's about a veterinary clinic in Richmond that is great for those who need help with their pet's care. Check them out if you need help and are near that area.


RICHMOND, VA—
In this tough economy, pets may not be the highest priority, but one
Richmond business is making sure that’s not the case.Lori Pasternak and
Jacqueline Morasco started Helping Hands a year ago, a low-cost veterinary surgical and dental care facility in
Richmond's Carytown.Pasternak is the vet at Helping Hands and after
working for years in the animal health care field, she says she saw too many pet
owners turned away from vet offices because they couldn’t afford surgeries for
their pets.“I’ve seen it time and time again, which is why I knew this
business was not only needed and would succeed, but because so many animals
would go without, suffer or be put to sleep. I’ve seen it more than I’d like to
admit,” Pasternak said.Helping Hands is a pay-it-forward system. A pet
owner pays as much up front as possible. They make up the difference by
volunteering one hour for every $10 worth of services their pet
receives.They can either perform their volunteer hours at Helping Hands
or at any other organization in the animal community.Al Garrett was one
person who had to choose between his finances and his pet. He chose the latter,
opting to not pay his electricity bill in order to cover his cat’s costly
surgery. Garrett, didn’t find out about Helping Hands until later but was so
impressed with their services he recently started volunteering.“I think
it’s a Godsend what these people are doing,” Garrett said. “What they’re doing
is a wonderful thing.”Co-owner Jaqueline Morasco says volunteers keep
Helping Hands affordable.“If we had to pay all of the staff to do the
job the volunteers do, we’d have to increase our prices,” Morasco
said.'
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Helping Hands ::