Don Montes, LVT, knows that some client complaints can lead to the best ideas. He was working in a small private practice in Manhattan near the turn of the century when an older client who struggled to get her Rottweiler down the clinic\u2019s steps asked an inspirational question: \u201cHow come there isn\u2019t a pet ambulance?\u201d<\/p>\n
Montes thought about that question and decided he would be the one to do something about it in his hometown. He started the very early iteration of AmbuVet in September of 2001, when the World Trade Center attacks shook the world and subsequently changed the course of his career.<\/p>\n
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 \u201cI was branded by fire when 9\/11 happened\u2014I thought, \u2018OK, what is it I can do to contribute here?\u2019 They had all these rescue dogs coming in from Europe, from Canada, from all over the world, because at that point it was a rescue mission. I came down with an empty van, I\u2019m talking about a truck that was without any equipment, nothing. I hadn\u2019t even really started AmbuVet. But I tried my best. I went to all the different animal hospitals that I knew about in the city and I got fluids, food, bandages, whatever I could contribute. When I got to the first checkpoint at Ground Zero, they started waving me through because they saw \u2018pet ambulance\u2019 on the side of my van, which at that time was just a magnet. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThere were 2 veterinarians there with 1 table, including 1 vet who I knew. She was like, \u2018Don, nobody\u2019s here, FEMA hasn\u2019t shown up. All these rescue dogs are here. They\u2019re on the pile for 16 hours. We don\u2019t have anybody to help us.\u2019 I stayed there for 10\u00a0days and I never looked back. And I was like, if this isn\u2019t a sign from God for me to keep doing what I\u2019m trying to do here, I don\u2019t know what else could be.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n
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