Affordable care for furry friends at home for Melbourne’s north

A vet working in Melbourne’s inner north is helping to make it easier to care for our furry friends at a time when families are feeling the pinch, with a new mobile vet clinic.

Brunswick resident Elnaz Jafari has opened up a mobile vet clinic that provides care for pets in the northern suburbs, in their own homes. Picture: Michael Kai

There’s no doubt Melburnians love our four-legged friends, for making us smile, giving us friendly company and cuddles.

But while our furry friends are like family, they can be expensive to care for, especially when they get sick.

With cost of living higher than ever, one passionate animal lover in Brunswick is working to change this with a new mobile vet clinic for Melbourne’s northern suburbs.

Doctor Elnaz Jafari has launched The Wandering Vet, a mobile vet clinic that provides in-home care for pets.

Dr Jafari said the main reason she started the business was to provide better veterinary care that catered to pets’ needs.

Brunswick resident Elnaz Jafari has opened up a mobile vet clinic that provides care for pets in the northern suburbs, in their own homes. Picture: Michael Kai

“(I wanted) to essentially assess animals in the context of their home environment,” she said.

“What I've learnt over the years is that animals get very stressed when they go to the vet, they don’t know what’s going on, essentially that results in a change in their demeanour — their heart rate goes up, their behaviour changes and their lab work gets thrown off.

“It actually causes a lot of anxiety and stress for animals, some more than others, so this is to minimise the impact on their mental health and make the care more accessible to some people who may not be able to go to a physical clinic.”

Pet owners in Melbourne’s north can contact Dr Jafari by phone or email with their details, or via an online booking system.

The service offers care to pets in Brunswick, Carlton, Clifton Hill, Coburg, Fitzroy, Flemington, Kensington, Northcote, North Melbourne, Parkville, Pascoe Vale, Preston, Princess Hill, Thornbury and Travancore.

The Wandering Vet can offer any veterinary care that a normal vet clinic can provide in a consult room setting, such as general health checks, vaccinations, gastrointestinal issues and care for animals skin, teeth, eyes, ears, muscles, joints and kidneys.

“I've got toolboxes in my car that have all the equipment that I require to assess an animal comprehensively, so anything that can be done in the consult room of a clinic I can do,” Dr Jafari said.

She said she’d tried her best to make her prices as accessible as possible, up to 80 per cent more affordable than other mobile vet service fees.

“I’m very passionate about making veterinary care as accessible as possible.

“Animals have always held a special place in my heart which is why I am deeply committed to providing gentle, compassionate care in the comfort of their own environment.”

For more information, see The Wandering Vet website.