Thompson, Manitoba, is home to thousands of residents and serves as an essential service hub for many surrounding northern communities. Despite the number of families and animals that depend on our city, Thompson currently has no permanent veterinary clinic and no access to local emergency veterinary care.

At present, there are approximately 2 veterinarians who travel to Thompson periodically to provide veterinary services. While our community is extremely grateful for the care they provide, occasional visits cannot meet the ongoing and emergency veterinary needs of Thompson and the surrounding region.

When an animal becomes seriously ill or injured outside of these visits, families can be left with no local options. Pet owners may be forced to travel hundreds of kilometres to obtain veterinary treatment, sometimes while transporting an animal that is critically ill, injured, suffering, or dying. For families who cannot travel because of finances, transportation, work obligations, road conditions, or severe northern weather, there may be no accessible veterinary care at all.

This has become more than an inconvenience. It is an animal welfare and community issue.

The consequences are also felt by local animal rescues and shelters. Without reliable access to veterinary services, providing medical treatment, vaccinations, spaying and neutering, and emergency care becomes significantly more difficult. The lack of veterinary services can also discourage families from adopting animals because they are understandably concerned about what will happen if their pet becomes sick or injured.

Many Thompson residents have experienced the fear and heartbreak of having a sick or injured animal and discovering that there is nowhere locally to turn for help. No family should have to watch an animal suffer while desperately trying to locate veterinary care hours away.

The lack of veterinary services also has broader implications for Thompson’s ability to attract and retain residents. For many individuals and families, pets are an important part of their household, and access to veterinary care is a basic consideration when deciding where to live and work. Asking people to relocate to or remain in a community where there is no permanent veterinary clinic and no emergency care can be a significant deterrent. As Thompson works to attract professionals, workers, families, and new residents to the North, access to essential services, including veterinary care, plays an important role in making our community a sustainable and desirable place to call home.

We recognize that recruiting and retaining veterinarians in northern Manitoba presents challenges. However, the size of Thompson, its role as a regional service centre, and the number of surrounding communities that rely on the city make this an issue that requires meaningful attention and action.

We are asking the City of Thompson to recognize the lack of reliable veterinary care as a significant community and animal-welfare issue and to actively work toward sustainable solutions.

This could include advocating to the Province of Manitoba and other levels of government, exploring veterinary recruitment and retention incentives, working with veterinary organizations and educational institutions, supporting opportunities for a permanent veterinary clinic, and developing partnerships or other innovative solutions to improve both routine and emergency veterinary access in Thompson and northern Manitoba.

By signing this petition, we are asking our municipal and provincial leaders to work together to find a long-term solution so that Thompson families are no longer left without help when their animals need medical care.

Our animals deserve access to timely veterinary care, and northern families deserve the peace of mind of knowing that help will be available when they need it.