PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Dr. Lashrol Ball, Director of Surgery at Flatbush Veterinary Clinic
2:27:36
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119 sec
Dr. Lashrol Ball, Director of Surgery at Flatbush Veterinary Clinic, testifies about the challenges and importance of high-volume spay/neuter services in New York City. She emphasizes the need for increased financial support from the city to address pet overpopulation and improve access to affordable veterinary care.
- Dr. Ball has performed approximately 40,000 spay/neuter surgeries and trained over 60 veterinarians in high-volume surgery techniques.
- She highlights the physical and emotional toll on veterinarians performing this work, citing burnout and understaffing as significant issues.
- Dr. Ball calls for city investment to ensure fair compensation for veterinarians, increase training capacity, and open more affordable community-based veterinary clinics in every borough.
UNKNOWN
2:27:36
Hi.
2:27:36
My name is Doctor.
2:27:37
Lashrol Ball, and I'm the director of Surgery at Flatbush Veterinary Clinic.
2:27:41
I have more than 7 years of experience as a high quality high volume Spay Nuder surgeon and performed approximately 40,000 surgeries for New York City pet owners and rescuers.
2:27:51
I greatly appreciate the chair and the members of the committee for convening this hearing.
2:27:55
I have worked with several Spay Nuder organizations and the common thread to have observed is the passion, enthusiasm, and urgency that teams across this city have doing this work.
2:28:05
Although my colleagues and I are deeply committed to addressing the pet overpopulation crisis, we cannot do this alone.
2:28:11
This work takes a heavy physical and emotional toll on us.
2:28:15
Those that have pursued Spain Nooder as a career shoulder, the push to do as many surgeries as we can daily, and many of my peers have considered permanently leaving the field after being overworked and underpaid while witnessing, suffering, and neglect on a daily basis and feeling that there is not enough support for there to be an end in sight.
2:28:32
And this has led me to my greatest passion of teaching in realizing that I may not always be able to perform 40 surgeries a day.
2:28:40
I just decided that one of my contributions to the access to care issues we face would be to arm as many veterinarians as I can with the skills to do this important work.
2:28:49
I'm a veterinary training specialist, and I have trained more than 60 veterinarians so far to perform high volume surgery.
2:28:56
Even still, we cannot tackle this crisis without long term financial investment from the city.
2:29:01
With your leadership and support, we can ensure our colleagues receive fair compensation for providing lifesaving services.
2:29:09
We can train more veterinarians to increase bay and neuter capacity in New York City.
2:29:13
We can open more community based affordable veterinary clinics like Flatbush vet in every borough.
2:29:19
And by making basic veterinary services affordable and accessible, we can dramatically reduce shelter intake, but we must act.
2:29:26
I know that you count on us as veterinarians to always be there for animals and people who need our care.
2:29:32
Well, we're counting on you too.
2:29:34
Thank you.