Tampa Bay Veterinarian Featured in People Magazine's Heroes in ...( Hospital Gav...),Health

Hospital Gave Away $1.2 Million in Free or Discounted Care

Tampa, Fla. (PRWEB) February 5, 2009 -- People Magazine featured Dr. Neil Shaw, chief medical officer and internal medicine specialist of Florida Veterinary Specialists (FVS), in their latest issue as a "Hero in Hard Times." Shaw met with People Magazine to talk about the charitable work that takes place at his referral-based veterinary specialty hospitals including Frankie's Friends, a charitable pet foundation, and its mission.

"Everyone is facing hard times right now and pet parents bear the responsibility of an additional family member with unique health care needs," says Shaw. "Our charitable work at the hospital also extends itself to helping wildlife brought in by Good Samaritans."

Shaw founded the FVS in 1996 and quickly recognized the need to help pet parents with financial constraints. One of his first memories of helping a pet parent with limited funds was when Slade, a Seeing Eye guide dog, was brought to the hospital and was diagnosed with cancer. Shaw knew then how difficult it can be for families facing major financial constraints to pay for their pet's health care costs.    

After several years of the hospital doing all it could to help clients in need of financial assistance, Shaw founded a charitable pet foundation in 2004 to raise funds to help care for pets and wildlife, as well as conduct veterinary clinical trials and community education efforts. Wildlife, including birds, squirrels, possums, egrets and turtles are brought in by Good Samaritans and then cared for by a veterinarian at the hospital. After medical care is provided they are released into the wild or turned over to licensed wildlife rehabilitators. 
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