{"id":127370,"date":"2024-11-18T20:30:11","date_gmt":"2024-11-18T20:30:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/todaysveterinarynurse.com\/?p=127370"},"modified":"2025-01-16T13:56:22","modified_gmt":"2025-01-16T13:56:22","slug":"the-city-of-angels-lahari-kankar-rvt-builds-community-through-veterinary-care-in-los-angeles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/navc.sitepreview.app\/todaysveterinarynurse.com\/personal-professional-development\/the-city-of-angels-lahari-kankar-rvt-builds-community-through-veterinary-care-in-los-angeles\/","title":{"rendered":"The City of Angels: Lahari Kankar, RVT, Builds Community Through Veterinary Care in Los Angeles"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"For Lahari Kankar, RVT, it all started with a single cat. \u201cI moved to a new place, and there was an adorable little kitten, and I wanted to befriend her, but she was still very scared,\u201d she said. \u201cBefore I knew it, this kitten was pregnant and having her own kittens\u2014it was a complete shock to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s when Kankar began her research about the estimated 1 million-plus feral cats in the greater Los\u00a0Angeles area and the challenges associated with controlling the population.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI learned that in Los Angeles, because of our constant warm weather, heat cycles and kittens happen sooner,\u201d Kankar said. \u201cThere\u2019s no end to \u2018kitten season\u2019 here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Every day, veterinary nurses\/technicians make a positive impact on their clients, patients, coworkers, and greater community. But the stories behind each and every one of these professionals are often overlooked due to the selfless nature of working in veterinary medicine. Today\u2019s Veterinary Nurse<\/em> aims to shine a light on some of these stories with its Clinic Champions series. Each issue, TVN<\/em> will honor a veterinary nurse for their contributions in community service, scholarship, advocacy, or innovation. This series will highlight unsung heroes who make a lasting impact on their patients and community. At the end of the year, 1 of the 4 honorees will be recognized as the Clinic Champion of the Year. To nominate a veterinary nurse\/technician, visit bit.ly\/ClinicChampions<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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In the process of finding ways to help this single cat, Kankar discovered a community of people with the same goal. She began getting involved with trap-neuter-release (TNR) initiatives and finding different ways to help pets and the people who care for them. Kankar\u2019s desire to get more involved in the community led her to the Underdog Community Project, a 501(c)3 organization that provides veterinary care via pop-up and mobile clinics at no cost. <\/span><\/p>\n

The group, for which Kankar serves as vice president and medical coordinator, holds monthly clinics in Skid Row, a downtown Los Angeles neighborhood that has among the largest populations of unhoused individuals in the country. Through this hands-on work, Kankar has gained a new perspective on building a sense of community with her neighbors and fellow veterinary professionals. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI knew there was a lot of people that weren\u2019t able to afford care for their pets, and I knew that there was a large issue with homelessness in Los Angeles. But even though I\u2019ve lived here my entire life, I never really saw it with my own eyes,\u201d Kankar said. \u201cThis was my first time really seeing the systemic problem \u2026 It\u2019s just been really nice to know that there\u2019s a community of people that are out there trying to combat this issue and putting their resources together to help the people in our community.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n