COLUMBUS, Ohio – There is no shortage of small animal veterinarians in Ohio. That is, those who care for and tend to the needs of dogs, cats and other small domestic pets. There is, however, a dire need for large animal veterinarians.

For years, rural veterinarians have been in short supply in the Buckeye State. Now, Ohio is investing nearly $30 million over the next two years to grow their presence. Ohio State University’s Protect OHIO program will focus on recruiting more small-town vets to fill the gaps.

The USDA lists 10 counties in Ohio with a shortage of private practice veterinarians: Allen, Auglaize, Ashland, Athens, Fairfield, Holmes, Licking, Meigs, Richland and Tuscarawas.

Nearly one-third of Ohio’s 88 counties are underserved by veterinarians. That’s because the economics are difficult in small towns. Many rural areas don’t have enough animal patients to sustain a full-time practice.

The few large animal veterinarians in place must zig zag across county lines to help wean calves and dole out vaccinations. Often, owners of sick livestock have to load their large animals in a trailer and travel for care, and that can be costly for families and risky for animals.

Last fall, Ohio State launched Protect OHIO, a state-funded program devoted to reversing the downward trend. Rustin Moore, dean of the university’s College of Veterinary Medicine, said the state couldn’t wait much longer for a solution.

“It’s not a new concept or a new problem. It’s been there, but it’s only getting worse,” Moore said.

It’s critical, Moore said, because rural veterinarians monitor disease threats in livestock. Veterinarians are the first line of defense against animal-borne illnesses, like bird flu or COVID-19, that have big implications for humans.

“If it’s one of those infectious diseases that could spread to people or even wipe out a whole flock or herd of animals, we really need veterinarians on the ground in those communities,” Moore said.

To combat the shortages, OSU believes recruitment is key.

Protect OHIO promises to enroll 35 more students per class year in OSU’s veterinary college. They are reaching out to high schools, FFA advisers and community officials to recruit students with an interest in animal care who live in small towns.

Student loans average around $170,000 for veterinary school, and that doesn’t count undergraduate costs, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Protect OHIO hopes to offset some of that debt through scholarships. Moore said they offered $900,000 in scholarships last fall and are educating students about loan forgiveness opportunities for veterinarians who set up small-town practices.

In Moore’s view, education isn’t enough, adding that the program is also conducting town halls across the state to understand what support veterinarians need after they get their degree.

One such town hall-style meeting was April 7 at the university’s Wooster campus. It was the first of several gatherings planned across the state in which college officials will outline the details of Protect OHIO and receive input from producers, veterinarians, extension educators, commodity groups and other rural community partners.

Attendees at the Wooster town hall were largely supportive, although some pointed out perceived shortcomings in the plan. Moore addressed a few of those shortcomings.

“How does the community support them when they come back after graduation? Financially, do they provide a clinic for them to work out of? Do they provide the new veterinarian with an ambulatory vehicle that’s stocked?” Moore said. “It doesn’t matter how far you may live from a farm, investing in rural veterinarians is a statewide responsibility. We have to do this together.”

Ohio State’s College of Veterinary Medicine will add more faculty to increase class sizes from 165 students to 200 students over the next three years. The curriculum will also include more trips off campus to work directly with animals.

Brad Garrison, who runs a veterinary clinic in New Pittsburg in Wayne County, Ohio, attended the April 7 meeting, said he has to serve multiple counties in north central and northeast Ohio.

“We travel much farther than we ever used do,” Garrison said. “Most of my work used to be centered in Wayne County. Now we work in Wayne, Holmes, Knox, Stark, Lorain, Ashland and Richland counties.”

Then there comes the issue that veterinarians must be able to make a living at their practice. In the areas that are underserved, the livestock and number of farms in those areas is insufficient to support a practice. Moore admits that there must be a volume of work to generate the income a veterinarian needs to support himself. Young veterinarians seem reluctant to work in rural areas, and frequently leave jobs in small towns and sparsely populated counties.

Another attendee of the April 7 gathering was Jeff Bielek, who raises sheep on a farm five miles south of Wooster and sells some of his animals to farmers. Bielek said, “retention of veterinarians is the hardest nut to crack.”

Retention is a problem Moore and other OSU officials are working on. Protect OHIO includes collaborations with agencies such as the Ohio Department of Agriculture and nonprofits like the Farm Journal Foundation to attract and retain more students from rural Ohio communities.

In addition, the college is exploring ways to provide scholarships and other funding to students who pledge to work outside of large cities, said Alecia Naugle, chair of the Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine at Ohio State.

“We are exploring a state and federal program available to veterinarians willing to work in underserved areas,” Naugle said. “We in Ohio have been leaving that money on the table.”

The next Protect OHIO town hall will be April 29 from 6-8 p.m. at the Kelly Center (McCoy Room) at Wilmington College in Wilmington, Ohio.

Another town hall gathering will be May 5 from 6-8 p.m. at The Lodge at Hocking College in Nelsonville, Ohio.