Success Story

Keeping Celia & Tequila Together

In desperate need of veterinarian care, Celia heard about Oregon Humane Society’s Community Veterinary Hospital (CVH) & made the call hoping that it would be the answer for Tequila, her normally spry Chihuahua, whose mouth was swollen & in severe pain.

Berenice Melson in the Community Resource Center (CRC) took Celia’s call. Celia’s first language is Spanish, so the call routed to Berenice, a bilingual staff member who shared Celia’s goal of getting help for Tequila.

Celia wasn’t short on love for Tequila, but the quote she received from her regular veterinarian was beyond what she could afford. She was afraid her only choice would be to surrender Tequila to ensure he could get the care that he needed. This is an all-too-common conversation that OHS staff have had with many loving pet owners. Thankfully, because of donor support, the CVH opened in 2022 to aid pets & their families in the same situation as Celia & Tequila.

Berenice helped book Tequila an appointment at the CVH. Knowing that Celia only spoke Spanish, Berenice made plans to be there for her as an interpreter so Celia would be fully informed on the services OHS could provide without any communication barriers.

At the appointment, it was determined that Tequila was suffering from a tooth abscess which needed to be pulled. The CVH team worked with Celia to get the bill to a number she could afford, & as promised, OHS’ expert medical team ensured Tequila received the best care from start to finish. This is why the CVH was built—to provide critical care that saves animal lives, gives pet owners hope & keeps families together.