Stories of partnership: How Community Veterinary Outreach and UBC are leveraging the bond between people and their pets to improve health access in the DTES

In Vancouver's Downtown Eastside (DTES), Community Veterinary Outreach, a national charity, is working with UBC researchers and students to reduce barriers to health care by allowing people to access support for themselves alongside their trusted animal companions.Research shows that pets offer profound physical, emotional and mental health benefits, especially for people facing marginalization. For many, the well-being of their animal takes priority over their own.  CVO's model leverages that bond, providing veterinary care alongside human health services in the same space by creating a setting where people come to care for their animals. The model also opens the door to preventative care, health advocacy, and social support that clients may not otherwise pursue for themselves.To learn more about this project, we spoke with Kyla Townsend and Kelsi Jasmine from Community Veterinary Outreach (note: Kelsi has since moved on from CVO), as well as members of UBC's animal welfare program: Alex Boo, veterinarian and adjunct professor, and graduate student Alexis Ly. We discuss how their project got started, the unique way CVO approaches its work, and the good that has come from bringing veterinary and human health services together.This initiative was supported by the Community University Engagement Support Fund.