Rising Stars: Meet Stacie Kreiser of Wyoming

Today we’d like to introduce you to Stacie Kreiser.

Hi Stacie, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Stacie(DVM), Brenna(LVT) and Lorin (Vet Assistant), formed the concept for Mercy Veterinary Coalition in 2019 after working at an animal shelter and noticing the ever growing need for veterinary care at a reduced cost for rescues, shelters without veterinarians and people with very limited income. There is currently a need for veterinarian professionals across the board, but not nearly enough veterinary staff to fulfill the needs of animals in shelters. Often animal rescues have to wait to get into veterinary clinics and are forced to utilize the minimal resources available to them while having to compete with the general public for low cost spay and neuter. A handful of veterinarians will work with rescues at a reduced cost, however there are not nearly enough offering reduced cost services and this quickly will eat up the limited funds that these rescues have to work with. So the answer was simple: create a veterinary clinic specifically to fulfill this niche.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not been a smooth road, initially we were sharing a clinic with another veterinarian who was not in the non-profit space and quickly discovered that we needed our own space. This caused a sudden upheaval and need for a quick relocation, several buildings fell through at the last minute. We have faced issues with being able to run all of our medical equipment at our new location and hope to move into a permanent location to be able to use all of our diagnostic equipment. Another struggle is having adequate staffing for the amount of work, we have two full time employees and one part time employee. We have the work load for at least another 2-3 full time employees. Stacie (DVM), is a volunteer at Mercy working 2 other jobs to be able to keep Mercy afloat.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
We provide reduced cost surgical/medical services for animal rescues, shelters without a veterinarian on staff and individuals faced with euthanizing or relinquishing their pets due to an inability to afford care for their pets through referral by other local veterinarians. We are a full service veterinary clinic, with the exception of x-rays at the moment until we can move into a permanent location. We are able to do specialized surgeries ie simple orthopedic procedures, advanced soft tissue surgery and dental surgery. We are most proud of our ability to help animals who otherwise may not have had a chance. What sets us apart from others is there is no other clinic in Michigan that we are aware of that has this model for veterinary care.

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I had a rough upbringing, my entire world was my Siberian husky Rex who helped me through some of the largest trials of my life. I have always been a strong willed, determined individual who seeks justice and fairness for all. My childhood was spent fantasizing about becoming a veterinarian, I decided at 3 years old that this was my calling, and never wavered. I knew my life’s purpose was to advocate for those who cannot speak for themselves, the most vulnerable.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mercyvetcoalition.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mercyveterinarycoalition/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Mercy-Veterinary-Coalition-61558938354183/