TEAM Mobile Cat Veterinary Unit Still Making The Rounds In CT

VERNON, CT — The green-and-white bus-looking vehicle rolled into the parking lot at the Vernon Tractor Supply store on a sunny Monday in March.

About three weeks later, it was at the shopping plaza that hosts Petco and other stores in Newington.

OK, it's not really a bus, except for the chassis, but a veterinary hospital on wheels.

It was just after 8 a.m. in Vernon and those inside were busy preparing the waiting and operating areas. About an hour later, 29 cat owners from various spots around the region showed up with their feline friends in tow.

It was a little later that day in Newington and most of the early patients were there for booster shots. They were followed by spay/neuter appointments a short time later. About the same amount of cats were in line that day.

Welcome to the TEAM Mobile Feline Spay/Neuter Clinic. For more than two decades, it has been on the roads of Connecticut in an effort to bring "affordable" spay and neuter and vaccination services for cats belonging to residents statewide.

Program executive director Donna Sicuranza said it's been an "amazing" ride for more than two decades now.

"It really is amazing," she said in a recent interview with Patch. "Every day. we're doing this statewide. It's just as rewarding each day, not only for the cats and their owners, but for the staff."

Since the TEAM Mobile Feline Spay/Neuter Clinic began in 1997, more than 200,000 cats have been spayed or neutered and vaccinated on-board the mobile clinic.

"We're not trying to take anything away from traditional Veterinary hospitals and we urge people to visit them for their everyday needs. What we do, though, is offer services at a lower cost for those who might not be able to afford it for their cats."

The TEAM mobile clinic is a project of Tait’s Every Animal Matters, a nonprofit charity headquartered in Westbrook. Tax-deductible donations to support TEAM are always needed and appreciated.

The mobile unit features a small veterinary staff that has been on the road for most of the 20 years. The primary vet is Dr. Arthur Heller, who is so dedicated to the program that he commutes most days from Keene, NH.

"In all our years, we've been very, very blessed, Sicuranza said. In addition to the staff and Dr. Heller, we've received many nice gifts over the years. Some people may think we're stepping on some toes or that the mobile unit 'is not a real vet,' but the staff is professional and experienced."

The TEAM spay/neuter package includes a brief exam, vaccinations (rabies, distemper, upper/lower respiratory infection), nail trim, and ear mite treatment (if needed).

The mobile unit also offers a variety of minor services.

The initial spay/neuter and vaccination services usually require a follow-up visit fr a booster shot.

The cats brought the the unit can be both domestic and feral. Sicuranza said she took in two members of an abandoned litter herself during one visit.

Each clinic averages about 30 cats.

"We want to keep the fees low, even with the volume we do," Sicuranza said. "spaying and neutering is the most important service that can be offered and we rely on donations to keep the prices down. For more than 20 years, it's been working."

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Several cities and towns in Connecticut are visited every year. Appointments should be planned well in advance because of demand. For a schedule, information or an to make an appointment, members of the public can call 1-888-FOR-TEAM (1-888-367-8326).