Island horse owner Laura Plunkett once witnessed a troubling scene in West Tisbury. A horse had been diagnosed with colic, and was struggling on the ground while waiting for a long time for medical help to arrive.
“I watched a horse thrash for what was hours before someone came to help,” Plunkett said.
According to Plunkett, these instances have become all too common on the Island. With hundreds of large animals, and only a minimal number of veterinarians, it is getting harder and harder to get care, and quickly, noting that some horses don’t get the services they need in a timely manner.
Plunkett is a member of the Martha’s Vineyard large animal emergency response committee, a subcommittee of the Martha’s Vineyard Horse Council that began in 2022. The group has members from the Ag Society, Martha’s Vineyard Horse Committee, Town Animal Control departments, Misty Meadows, and other Island horse barns, as well as veterinary technicians.
In response to a number of large animal emergencies, the group has recently launched an initiative to offer housing to attract a veterinarian with experience helping horses to the Island. Members of the committee indicated that there are a number of options for practicing, either working at one of two small animal clinics on the Island, or starting a mobile practice on their own.
The offer, provided through a partnership with the committee and a private homeowner, is a new-construction, two-bedroom rental home in West Tisbury. Additionally, it comes with space for two horses on the property.
The mission of the committee is to address the veterinary shortage on Island, particularly for equine and large animals, as well as set up an emergency system on Island.
“This committee came from my fear,” Plunkett said. “I got a horse and brought it here, but the reality of not having 24/7 animal coverage was keeping me up at night.”
The proposal to offer housing coincides with the recent closure of Island veterinarian clinics. My Pet’s Vet in Vineyard Haven closed in 2023, and Dr. Constance Breese of Sea Breeze Veterinary Service in Vineyard Haven recently announced her retirement.
Plunkett spoke to another instance at which a member of the Horse Committee’s horse needed to be euthanized. “They could not find anyone to euthanize that horse. They called the on-island veterinarians, and no one could come in on time. So, we had to call in someone that had been trained to euthanize by gun, and the horse had to be shot.” she said, retelling the instance experienced by her fellow committee member. The typical euthanization process is the administering of medication by a veterinarian.
Committee member Vickie Thurber estimates that there are approximately 250 horses on Island, while there are only about two on-island vets that can address the medical needs of those horses and larger animals. With a veterinary shortage, many animal medical emergencies can go unaddressed for long periods of time, especially for larger animals.
“Our on-island veterinarians have been working extremely hard working endless hours to keep up with the need, however the need is becoming too overwhelming,” Plunkett said.
“We realized we had a really dangerous situation on our hands without any emergency services, especially for our horses, and that something had to be done,” Thurber explained.
“We are in dire need of a veterinarian.” Plunkett said.
If interested in applying for this role, contact the LAERC at vickiescoot@gmail.com or lauramplunkett@icloud.com
The Island certainly needs a large animal vet, but it also needs more vets. Once again, the lack of affordable housing rears its ugly head. I know that’s a hot button issue for many because people don’t think that housing should be subsidized, but soon the Island will lose doctors, nurses, police, school teachers and on and on.
Commercially used residential property should be taxed as commercial property. Currently the real estate taxes on commercially used residential properties are the same as properties which are lived in all year by the same tenants, or by the owner. Mass General law states that properties used commercially: rented out for parts of a year instead of as a home should be taxed at a commercial rate. The assessors on the Island choose not to do that. We have enough buildings. Investors who are do not have to pay any higher real estate taxes are eager to increase their holdings and continue to use them commercially.
Ban Short Term Rentals accept to Island Residents only and there will be plenty of housing available for you to get a Vet
Homeowners with children are the biggest consumers of tax dollars.
Commercially used residential property has little to no students.
If you you want to keep all taxes low lower commerical real estate taxes
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