COVID-19 is disrupting lives, but it isn’t preventing the Spokane Humane Society and local veterinarians from caring for pets.

Terena Thi, interim executive director at the organization, noted how it was able to care for and find a home for a dog recently brought to them with a critical leg wound.

The dog, Lucy, arrived at the shelter after she had been wounded in a fight and her owner couldn’t afford the cost of required medical care. The veterinary staff was able to stave off amputation and save Lucy’s leg. The dog is now healing and has been placed in a new home.

Thi said such cases are becoming more common as the pandemic and accompanying financial problems are draining bank accounts and forcing pet owners to rethink spending.

Feeding pets, however, doesn’t have to factor into that equation.

“In these unprecedented times, sometimes our furry friends’ needs are not our first priority,” Thi said.

The Spokane Humane Society’s pet food bank is open during the crisis. It is accepting food donations to help pet owners take care of their animals.

“We have seen an uptick in donations,” Thi said, as workers partnering with other local organizations get pet food to people in need. The Spokane Humane Society also is working with Supportive Services for Veteran Families at Goodwill Industries of the Inland Northwest, and with Meals on Wheels.

Access to care is still available, but veterinary offices and animal shelters are under safety protocols at this time, too. Safe distancing guidelines that Americans are practicing are in place at animal care facilities, for customers and clinical staff alike.

“Most all clinics in Spokane are either limiting the amount of people into the office at once … or, like what we’re doing here, curbside services,” said Lisa Siva, practice manager at the Animal Emergency Clinic. To do this, staff go outside to get the pet, then the veterinarian evaluates the pet and calls the client to discuss symptoms and treatment plans.

For pet owners, this means they can still get critical care for their animals, but they most likely will not be allowed into the clinic, and won’t be in the treatment room with their pet.

Siva said nonemergency procedures, like spays and neuters, are being limited by most clinics.

Spokane County Regional Animal Protective Services has been reaching out to Spokane-area food banks, offering to work with them to get pet food to people who need it.

“If there are human food banks in the area who’d be interested in having companion animal supplies they could distribute at the same time as human supplies, we’d be happy to provide it,” said SCRAPS director Lindsey Soffes.

She noted SCRAPS has not seen an uptick in people looking for pet food.

SCRAPS and the Spokane Humane Society continue to do pet adoptions by appointment.

Neither, however, is spaying and neutering pets.

The Spokane Humane Society is continuing to vaccinate puppies and kittens younger than 6 months.

Surgical procedures are limited because gloves, gowns and surgical masks are in short supply, Thi said.

“That’s a hard thing for us, too,” added Siva. “Being able to limit how many boxes of gloves and gowns we can get, because they need them on the human side.”