Loving Care Animal Society reflects on progress

Susan Austgen, president of the Loving Care Animal Shelter in Panaca, is proud of the accomplishments of the facility. In a prepared statement, she said, “We county residents no longer have to make a 200-mile round trip to Cedar City to have our best friend see a vet or be groomed.”

In October 2020, Dr. Whitley Henroid of Ely started coming to the clinic twice a week, Wednesday and Thursday. Last November and December, Henriod and her assistant announced they were both pregnant, and as of June 2021, both were on maternity leave.

Up until that time, Austgen wrote, Loving Care was able to spay or neuter 124 animals.

Henroid’s husband, Clifton, specializes in large animals. He was able to come to the clinic once a week, but having no surgical assistant, he was limited to doing inspections, vaccinations and wellness checks.

Whitley and her assistant have since returned to their duties at Loving Care.

Trash to Treasures thrift store has also operated at the same location as the animal facility since 2017. Austgen said she is thankful for “all the donations and purchases of our merchandise. Thankfully, the store has helped offset some of the costs of keeping Loving Care in operation.”

Loving Care is currently applying for grant money to continue to meet its financial obligations.

For more information or to donate, call the facility at (775)728-4109 or visit their website at lovingcareanimalsociety.org.