Dr. April Gessner took a winding route to discovering her passion. Beginning with undergraduate school in graphic design, employment at an ad agency, then back to school for veterinary medicine, Gessner eventually decided (while volunteering in Costa Rica) that treating pets of low resource and unsheltered owners would be her life’s work.
Gessner’s veterinary career has largely been in emergency veterinary hospitals, serving as a vet tech, then a veterinarian, in places like Triangle Veterinary Referral Hospital of Holly Springs, which provided specialized, life-saving care to many animals in the area.
“Emergency veterinary medicine was discouraging for me, telling owners, ‘Here’s your $5,000 estimate for your very sick pet,’” says Gessner, a resident of Fuquay-Varina.
Photo courtesy of DEGA Mobile Veterinary Care
Care on that level isn’t feasible for many owners, but Gessner realized that providing accessible preventive care could alleviate the need for emergency care for a portion of her patients. Thus DEGA Mobile Veterinary Care was born. (Dega was the name of Gessner’s first dog, and stands for Determined for Everyone to Gain Access to Veterinary Care.)
“DEGA mainly offers preventative care, physical exams, vaccinations, deworming, and treatment of minor illnesses,” says Gessner. The organization provides these services free of charge to qualifying pet owners at pop-up clinics throughout the state.
“February 14, 2021, was our first clinic. We have since treated more than 2,000 pets,” she says.
Cats and dogs are the most common patients, but there have been a few surprises along the way, including a hedgehog with a skin condition.
“Preventative care is key,” says Gessner. “It prevents sickness and having to give up pets because of expensive care.”
DEGA frequently partners with local relief organizations, such as the Fuquay-Varina Emergency Food Pantry, Holly Springs Food Cupboard, and Oak City Cares, hosting clinics at those locations to serve their client base, sometimes traveling the state to treat animals.
In March, DEGA offered its first free spay and neuter clinic, partnering with Peak City Veterinary Hospital in Apex to perform the surgeries there.
Photo courtesy of DEGA Mobile Veterinary Care
“We treated 17 animals at that first event,” says Gessner.
Soon, DEGA will roll out a custom-built mobile surgery trailer to offer spay, neuter, and minor surgeries without being tethered to a brick and mortar clinic.
DEGA’s assistant director (and Dr. Gessner’s husband), Bennett Deddens, built the majority of the surgery trailer himself.
“It’s a mini vet hospital in a mobile trailer,” Gessner says. “It has running water, everything we need, and can travel to neighborhoods in need.”
Donations of time from local veterinary professionals and vet school students, and supplies, medicines, and financial support from the local community are vital to DEGA’s operation. Area vet hospitals — particularly Triangle Veterinary Referral Hospital and Peak City Veterinary Hospital — frequently donate use of their facilities for procedures.
“Without all of our unbelievably dedicated and talented volunteers, donating their time and skills, this would never be possible. They continually astound me, and I can’t tell you how grateful I am for them.
“It truly is a team effort, and none of this would happen without all of the many people helping in some capacity,” says Gessner.
The cost of pet ownership can be high, both in time and money, but Gessner reminds that for many, “Owning a pet is a lifeline. Sometimes pets are our only ‘person’ of support.”
For individuals and families facing tough financial and housing situations, the comfort of a pet can be priceless.
Editor’s Note: Pet owners interested in assistance can submit an application through degamobilevetcare.org.
Follow along with DEGA’s patients, surgery trailer updates, and upcoming events through social media @degamobilevetcare.
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