SUNBURY, Pa. — At Sunbury Animal Hospital, folks waited in their cars for their pets who were inside the facility. This is how the vet's office is currently seeing patients.
"Basically, it's curbside service," Dr. James Temple said. "If you have a pet that needs to be seen, we will do our best to accommodate you, but we're going to ask you to wait in your car."
Sunbury Animal Hospital and other veterinary offices are still open, while many other businesses are closed due to the coronavirus. But as a precaution, only employees and animals are allowed inside the building. Employees bring the pets inside and consult with pet owners over the phone.
"Nobody's happy about it, but this is what we're dealing with. It's not just us; it's everybody," Dr. Temple said.
Roy Bliler of Lock Haven waited inside his car while his tortoise Toka was inside.
"We understand about the social distance, and quite frankly, I don't want to be around people right now anyway, so I'm content to stay in my car," Bliler said.
Sunbury Animal Hospital is not scheduling non-emergency procedures right now, and people have been understanding. Dr. Temple says one way to keep your pets healthy through all of this is to keep up with their daily routines.
"Trying to have people avoid congregations, but that does not mean you can't take your dog for a walk."
Dr. Temple believes the curbside service will keep both pet owners and employees safe during this time.