Veterinary care can be difficult to access when cost, transportation, or limited services stand in the way. Oregon Humane is preparing to close some of those gaps with a mobile veterinary clinic based at their Salem campus.
Expected to become fully operational by summer 2027, the clinic will initially travel throughout Salem and surrounding Mid-Willamette Valley communities. Its goal is to reach pet owners who might otherwise have trouble accessing preventive services, particularly those living in underserved or remote areas.
Bringing Veterinary Services Into the Community
The custom-built clinic will be equipped to provide spay and neuter surgeries, preventive care, wellness exams, and early intervention services. Instead of requiring pet owners to travel to a permanent clinic, Oregon Humane will be able to take those services closer to the people and animals that need them.
Once the clinic is fully running, the nonprofit expects it to serve approximately 5,000 pets each year. The additional surgical space will also expand capacity at Oregon Humane’s existing Salem Spay & Neuter Clinic.
The Salem clinic on Turner Road SE has provided lower-cost spay and neuter services since 2010. More than 70,000 procedures have been completed there since it opened, but demand for affordable veterinary care continues to outpace availability.
Addressing a Growing Need
The mobile clinic is part of Oregon Humane’s response to increasing pet overpopulation across the state. Access to spay and neuter services was disrupted during the pandemic, while rising costs and limited veterinary services have made routine care harder for many pet owners to secure.
Between 2020 and 2025, Oregon Humane reported a 58% increase in kittens arriving from unexpected litters. Unintended offspring are also the most commonly reported reason that cats and dogs are surrendered to the organization’s shelters.
Those numbers affect more than shelter space. Animals awaiting surgery may remain in shelters longer before becoming available for adoption, while staff and surgical resources must be divided between shelter animals and pets from the community. Providing more preventive care can reduce unexpected litters while helping animals stay healthy and remain with their families.
Building Support for the Mobile Clinic
Oregon Humane has set a $1.2 million fundraising goal for the project. At the time the mobile clinic was announced, donors had already contributed $922,000 toward that total.
Oregon Humane is an independent nonprofit organization that receives no government funding. Their adoption, veterinary care, education and animal welfare programs are supported by donors.
When the clinic begins traveling next year, it will add a flexible new option to the region’s animal-care network. For Salem-area families, that could mean receiving essential care closer to home. For local shelters and rescue groups, it could also help prevent overcrowding and allow more resources to go toward animals already waiting for homes.
Want to get involved? You can donate on Oregon Humane's website.
Official Reporting and Source Links
Mobile Veterinary Clinic — Oregon Humane
Oregon Humane Expands Access to Care With Mobile Veterinary Clinic — Oregon Business / Oregon Humane