For some New Jersey residents, pet care is coming closer to home. With its new 40-foot mobile veterinary unit, Rowan University’s Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine (SSVM) will visit underserved neighborhoods and pet owners with mobility issues, providing services ranging from free pet food and vaccinations to surgery. The unit will not only help pet owners who cannot afford traditional veterinary care but will also give Shreiber students essential hands-on experience.

Dr. Kirsten White, DVM, SSVM’s section head and clinical assistant professor of Shelter Medicine and Community Engagement, said, “The mobile unit will travel regionally to visit communities and animal shelters where we know there is need. That schedule can be adjusted in the future as needs change, but consistency is key so that people utilizing the services can count on where and when to find the team.”

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), pet ownership has increased steadily since 1996. In 2023, dog ownership reached an all-time high, yet their owners spent 4% less on veterinary care last year. Much of this decline is due to a lack of access to pet care or the financial means to pay for it.

The mobile veterinary unit is a collaboration between SSVM and Merck Animal Health, funded by a $500,000 gift from Merck. Equipped with exam space, recovery cages, and a surgical suite, the unit will supplement the small animal teaching hospital in Mullica Hill, which is scheduled to open in the fall.

Students working with the mobile unit will collaborate with local shelters to help spay and neuter animals, making them adoption ready. Although the school will not welcome its first cohort of 70 students until fall 2025, it is already preparing to give them a head start on their veterinary education, with the mobile unit’s rollout planned for November 2025.

While the unit will provide basic services, the small animal teaching hospital will offer full-spectrum care. The hospital will feature an academic building and research space and provide services such as surgery, oncology, ophthalmology, and imaging. The facility will also collaborate with a network of partners to ensure comprehensive research and care for animals.

The school calls this model “practice informed by research.” Once accredited, SSVM will be the first veterinary college in New Jersey and one of only two in the nation to offer Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM), Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO), and Doctor of Medicine (MD) degrees. 

Rowan intends to assess the impact of the mobile unit over time to show its value and make adjustments as necessary. “Basic metrics include the number and type of patients seen, types of services provided and the level of support from donors. There will be plenty of qualitative impact, such as stories of lives saved and people enjoying quality time with their pets to a greater degree and for longer than in the past,” White said.

According to the AVMA, 45.5% of U.S. households own dogs, and 32.1% own cats, equating to 5.98 million and 4.92 million households, respectively. As of December 2024, there were only 130,415 veterinarians in the United States—a clear imbalance in proportion to the demand for animal care.

Additionally, a report by the Program for Pet Health and Equity, “Access to Veterinary Care: Barriers, Current Practices, and Public Policy,” found that as of December 2018, more than 29.3 million cats and dogs lived in low-income households. Of surveyed pet owners, 22.7% said they could not afford preventive care.

Academic studies for students working in the mobile unit will revolve entirely around their clinical work. By providing hands-on experience for them, SSVM aims to help address this shortage and improve access to veterinary services.

Educational Outreach

In addition to the mobile unit and animal hospital, the veterinary school re-opened the PAWS Farm Educational Center, a 10-acre facility that houses a variety of farm animals. Originally opened in 1979 by Dr. Charles and Kate Tweedy, it was handed over to the former Garden State Discovery Museum of Cherry Hill in 2004 when its lease expired. In 2020, the doors closed due to extreme maintenance issues. SSVM acquired it last year with plans to use it for teaching and community outreach.

Leah Walker, SSVM’s associate director of outreach and public engagement, said, “Much of what is happening at PAWS Farm Educational Center is unique to this place through its nearly 300-year history as a working farm, 40-year history as an animal-based community center and now its future mission as part of the veterinary school. However, many facets of our interdisciplinary STEM education programming could be—and are being done—elsewhere.”

This remodel and re-opening will provide a space for students from kindergarten through high school to interact with animals and veterinary students in a positive, educational environment. It will also introduce younger students to STEM education and the potential for a career in veterinary medicine. 

Walker went on to say, “At its core, we want students who visit PAWS Farm to feel inspired and excited about animal health and environmental stewardship. All of our learning activities, both passive and interactive, will be designed to meet that objective.”

Phillip Barnes, SSVM’s director of public relations and communications, added, “While the Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine will conduct research at its main location on Rowan University’s West Campus, PAWS Farm will be a place to inspire and nurture the next generation of researchers and curious scientific minds through its STEM-based programming.”

One Health Initiative

Students at SSVM will be trained in the One Health concept, which focuses on animal welfare, food security and safety, and the prevention of zoonotic diseases—those that can be transmitted from animals to humans.

Zoonotic diseases include COVID-19, SARS, Ebola, HIV, and West Nile virus. The One Health approach recognizes the interconnectedness of humans, animals, and the environment, emphasizing the role of veterinarians in monitoring and preventing emerging diseases. In this way, they hope to protect humans, animals, and the environment.

Students engaging with pet owners can educate them on preventative care, zoonotic diseases, and responsible pet ownership—a key part of One Health’s public health mission. Teaching K-12 students about animal care also introduces the concepts of biosecurity, food safety, and environmental impact, which is also crucial to the initiative. In this way, they hope to protect humans, animals, and the environment.

Founding and Funding

While Shreiber’s generous $30 million gift helped galvanize the SSVM conversation, other groups have contributed funds as well. In 2021, the New Jersey Legislature approved an additional $75 million for the veterinary school, and in 2022, Virtua Health invested $85 million toward facility construction. Rowan and Virtua plan to collaborate to improve animal care and research in southern New Jersey.

With its mobile unit, teaching hospital, and outreach programs, SSVM is taking significant steps to expand access to veterinary care and strengthen the future of the profession.