By Stacy Mozisek, DVM
Cookie, a young dog from the Austin Humane Society, came to Firehouse Animal Health Center with a broken femur. We asked our specialist partner, Dr. Might, to help us repair Cookie’s leg. When we saw Cookie after her surgery, she was walking nicely and feeling so much better. She was adopted by an Austin family and is now thriving in her new home.
Texas Human Heroes brought Markie the cat to see us. He had a terrible case of entropion, a condition where the eyelid rolls inward. His eyes were inflamed and his condition was so severe that it had caused permanent tissue damage. We offered Markie a second chance with surgery and ongoing treatment. When we saw him afterwards, Markie was free of pain and his eyelid was healing. Markie was adopted into his forever home last fall, and his new family loves him.
Dogs like Cookie and cats like Markie reinvigorate the Firehouse team around our giving-back philosophy. We volunteer and host “Ask The Vet” booths at 20-30 pet nonprofit events yearly. We also sponsor fundraisers. Yet our biggest impact is through the free medical care we gift to 14 Central Texas animal nonprofits.
We love advancing the process of adoption.
Our care helps dogs and cats get healthy, giving them a greater chance at moving out of the shelter and into a permanent home. The entire Firehouse team rallies behind this endeavor. We hire folks who are philanthropic and have a deep understanding of the human-animal bond.
The co-founders of Firehouse built philanthropy into the core of our business.
As a company, Firehouse gives back to our community for many reasons. “Philanthropy is about being a good neighbor,” says co-founder Dr. Jed Rogers. “We feel it’s our obligation to contribute to the health of our city’s entire pet population, not just the clients who walk through our doors.”
Co-founder Dr. John Faught agrees. He learned at an early age that we all play a role in making our communities healthier, safer, and happier. Firehouse gives generously to local animal-support organizations by donating funds, free medical services, time, and ideas. “We are better individuals and a better business because of it,” says Dr. Faught. “It brings value and purpose to what we do each and every day.”
Dr. Stacy Mozisek was the first veterinarian hired by the hospital. Ten years later, she’s still inspired by the company’s focus on philanthropy. “Firehouse’s spirit and generosity drive me every day. Our love of helping all animals bonds my team and me in a common goal.”
We value the human-animal bond.
Each one of us at Firehouse has a deep bond with our pets. Animals improve our lives in countless ways.
“My dogs and cats (including Carl the Chameleon, of blessed memory) have brought my family immense joy,” says Dr. Mozisek. “So I love that we play a critical role in helping pets find a secure future. It’s rewarding to know we’re also giving Austinites all the perks that come with sharing their life and household with a pet.”
We do dental cleanings, vaccinations, and even surgeries when needed. Eliminating or minimizing health risks allows adopters to see shelter pets as a companion and sets them up for adoption into a loving home. We embrace shelter pet adoption and do everything in our expertise to give dogs and cats with health issues a better chance. See how our entire team gets involved in these two stories: Beethoven and Gator.
Our impact is in lives changed
While we can count the shelter pets we help each year through our free medicine program, the feeling that comes with completing a family is immeasurable.
Our quantifiable impacts (2022 to date):
The number of shelter pets who received free healthcare from Firehouse: 636
Total value of donated free medical care services: $136K
Hours spent offering free medical care: ~954 hours (about 1.5 hrs w each pet)
Total $ contributed (free medical care + monetary donations): $188K
Total $ donated to free medical care + monetary donations since 2012: $1.3M
Our non-quantifiable impacts (just as important to us):
The 500+ families who adopted a cat or dog and completed their family.
Pets' lives that were improved (or saved!), as in the cases of Markie and Cookie.
Your pet might have received free medical care from us. Or may have been sheltered by one of our team members. Or housed at one of our pet resorts during a local wildfire. Simply put, we’re proud of how Firehouse goes above and beyond to support our city’s animals.
This post is sponsored by Stacy Mozisek, DVM, Medical Director at Firehouse Westlake. Dr. Mozisek and Firehouse Animal Health Centers have generously partnered with Impact Austin as a sponsor of our 2020 Annual Meeting and 2021 Town Hall Meeting.
For more information about Firehouse Animal Health Centers, please visit firehouse.vet
