Jill Rappaport: Get to Know Your Vet at LIVMA Open House
Jill Rappaport continues to prove herself among the most outspoken and active animal advocates on the East End.
Along with her award-winning work with various charities, and creating her own initiatives—such as Jill Rappaport’s Pies 4 Paws challenge—the Water Mill resident and NBC correspondent recently became the Long Island Veterinary Medicine Association’s (LIVMA) official spokesperson. And now she’s spreading the word about the importance of quality veterinary care and of pet owners really getting to know their vet and understanding what they do every day.
To help facilitate these relationships and give people a fully rendered picture of what happens in a vet’s office, Rappaport is urging area pet owners to take part in LIVMA’s “Open House Across Long Island” this Sunday, June 28 from 1–4 p.m.
“This is your chance to learn what happens at a veterinary practice,” Rappaport says, explaining the importance of this inaugural event, where people will be welcomed to visit and tour 25 veterinary practices, and meet the people who run them, throughout Nassau and Suffolk counties. “It is important that owners know their pet’s vet because you need to have a vet you trust,” Rappaport, a proud pet parent of five rescue dogs and seven horses, adds.
“The worst time to meet your vet is for an emergency,” LIVMA’s Open House Chair Dr. Dee Hensen says, noting, “Establishing a relationship with your pet ‘s vet will provide for smoother care when there is an emergency, and ensure good preventative planning.”
Rappaport and LIVMA hope this weekend’s Open House will inspire more Long Islanders to bring their pets in for regular checkups, which will result in area dogs and cats living longer, healthier and happier lives.
“Owners should partner with a professional veterinary team to develop a well care program that reflects their pets’ lifestyles and risk factors so that they can keep their pets at the peak of health,” LIVMA President Dr. Keith Niesenbaum says.
And while annual wellness care is important for all pets, it’s especially crucial for adopted and rescued pets. Many shelters offer initial care so pets can be adopted, but that basic care needs to be followed up. “All too often shelters have little or no medical history on the pets they adopt and without follow-up care illness can go undetected and impact the pet’s longevity,” Dr. Niesenbaum adds.
During the Open House, visiting pet owners will learn about various types of medical care, including radiology and imaging, senior care, weight management, dental care and orthopedic care.
Find out more about the Long Island Veterinary Medical Association, their Open House Across Long Island and to see a list of participating vets, visit livma.org.