2025 Vetting Year in Review: Busy Paws, Smart Decisions, Real Impact
Submitted by Jolaine Blankenship, Lead Vetting Coordinator, CBR
Filed by Jonah, Senior Paw-spondent, CBR
If 2025 taught us anything, it’s this: our vetting team doesn’t believe in slow days. From routine checkups to last-minute emergencies, this year moved at a steady rhythm of careful reviews, quick pivots, and a whole lot of doing what’s best for the dogs.
I started this report the way the human prefers, with the facts in a neat line and the numbers in the right columns. Then I remembered what those numbers actually sound like: a phone ringing, a car door closing, a nervous tail thumping against a crate, and someone saying, “We’ve got this.” Every approval came with questions. Every treatment came with a plan. And every outcome came back to one goal, making sure care landed where it mattered most.
Here’s what that looked like in real life.
Vet Visits: Where It All Begins
Every great care story starts with a vet visit, and in 2025, we had 644 of them. That’s 644 moments of listening, diagnosing, planning, and advocating for dogs who needed a helping paw. Some visits were simple. Some were complicated. All of them mattered. These appointments shaped treatment plans, guided funding decisions, and gave us the clarity we needed to move forward with confidence.
Spays & Neuters: Investing in the Future
Prevention is one of the most powerful tools we have, and this year, we put it to work. With 46 spays and 50 neuters, we didn’t just help individual dogs, we helped reduce future strain on shelters, rescues, and families. These procedures are about long-term impact, ensuring healthier communities and fewer dogs in need down the road. The humans call this “planning ahead.” I call it making sure tomorrow is quieter than today.
Heartworm Treatments: The Comeback Tour
Heartworm treatment can be a tough road, but it’s one worth walking. In 2025, we supported 43 heartworm treatments, helping dogs move from vulnerable to thriving. Each one represented weeks of care, careful monitoring, and the collective hope of everyone involved that this dog’s best days were still ahead. I checked this section twice. It felt important.
Surgeries & Specialists: When “Routine” Isn’t an Option
Some cases ask for more than standard care, and of course we answered. This year included 37 surgeries (beyond spays and neuters) and 13 specialist visits, each connecting dogs with advanced treatment and expert insight when it counted most. These were the moments where extra effort translated into real quality-of-life gains.
Emergency Visits: Ready When It’s Urgent
You don’t plan for emergencies—you prepare for them. With 19 emergency room visits, our team stepped in when timing mattered and choices had weight. These moments tested our systems, our speed, and our commitment, but also reminded us why vetting matters in the first place.
Behind the numbers is a simple standard: be thoughtful, be thorough, be responsible. We strive to protect trust between our foster homes, our veterinary partners, our supporters, and the dogs we serve. Every decision is about balance: urgency and accuracy, compassion and accountability, heart and head.
2025 Vetting by the Numbers
For our detail-loving pack members, here’s the full breakdown of the year:
Total Vet Vists – 644
Total Spays – 46
Total Neuters – 50
Total Heartworm Treatments – 43
Total Specialist Visits – 13
Total Emergency Room Visits – 19
Thank you from our entire vetting team. None of this happens without the incredible support of our foster homes, partners, donors, veterinarians, and advocates. Every stat in this report represents teamwork, trust, and a shared belief that every dog deserves care, dignity, and a fighting chance.
Here’s to another year of busy paws and big hearts.
— Jonah
