A SHORTAGE of vets will force a beloved Berri veterinary clinic to close its doors later this month after more than two decades of helping local pets.
RivaPetz Pet Care, located on Gilbert Street, will close permanently on February 26, 22 years after the clinic first opened.
In a Facebook post on Saturday, owner Jenni Trewren said she felt “truly blessed” to have helped Riverlanders and their pets for 30 years but said circumstances had forced her hand.
“The acute shortage of veterinarians across Australia has made it impossible to continue to provide the level of care our patients and clients deserve,” the post read.
Riverland Dog Training and Kennel Club secretary Sue Laidler said the closure would be a significant loss for the region.
“There are only two vets in Berri, so many of our members took their pets to Jenni Trewren,” she said.
“The Riverland vets are always very busy, so having another option was good for many of our members.
“The more vets in the area the better, because so many more people are getting pets nowadays.
“The struggle to get vets up here is similar to what the region is facing with doctors.
“I used to take my dogs to Jenni, and I will miss her as a person and a friend who cared about our pets.
“She’s a good vet and it is a big loss for the Riverland.”
Ms Trewren had been splitting her time between working in Berri and Adelaide since buying the St Bernards Road Veterinary Clinic in 2015.
“We have amazing clients and patients and I have a huge emotional attachment to the people we see in the Riverland and that’s why I’ve been continuing to do it for the past seven years,” Dr Trewren told ABC Riverland.
“I fear for the future of the profession.
“More and more people, especially with COVID, now own pets.
“There are more pet owners than ever and we’ve potentially got fewer vets.”
Those interested in retrieving pet medical records from the clinic can contact RivaPetz on 8582 1344 or via email (reception@rivapetz.com.au).