After 22 years of serving the Portage la Prairie community, the Portage Veterinary Hospital is closing its doors this Friday. The final day of operation was announced Tuesday of this week.
Dr. Tammy Dunbar, who ran the clinic, passed away, and due to circumstances beyond the family’s control, there’s no one able to take over the clinic.
Brent Dunbar, speaking on behalf of the family, explains that it wasn’t for lack of trying that the clinic is shutting down. The family shars a statement explaining their situation.
“Our family knows how important the Portage Veterinary Hospiial has been to the community, and we share in the sadness over how this will affect local animals and pet owners,” Brent said. “Since Tammy’s unexpected passing, we’ve been facing a lot of challenges. We’ve worked hard to keep the clinic going while trying to find a veterinarian to purchase it, as required by Manitoba law.”
He adds that the relevant laws are available to the public, but it’s not something most people are aware of until they’re in the situation — something the family came to understand all too well.
“Despite our best efforts, the ongoing shortage of veterinarians has made it impossible to sell the clinic,” he said. “We are incredibly grateful for the support we’ve received in honour of Tammy’s legacy, but we also ask for understanding as we navigate through this difficult time. This decision wasn’t one we wanted to make, but with the legal and financial restrictions in place, we no longer have any other option. We know how much the clinic has meant to Portage and the surrounding communities. Tammy dedicated her life to the animals she loved and to the people who trusted her with their pets. Please understand, this decision isn’t about not caring for the community — it’s just that there are no feasible options left. If anyone knows of a veterinarian interested in taking over the clinic, we’re still open to discussions. But without a buyer, we have no choice but to close.”
Dunbar went on to explain that the family is in a tough spot because the decision isn’t really in their hands. "Any veterinary practice has to be owned and run by a licensed, qualified veterinarian," he said. "We’ve done everything we can to find someone to take over, but with the severe shortage of vets, it's been nearly impossible."
“Everyone’s struggling with this across the province. There’s been a lot of interest from people who would love to take over, but they just can’t find enough staff. We don’t even have the option to hire someone ourselves — it’s not allowed. And even if we could find a vet to run it, we can’t just hire one. That’s part of the issue.”
He explains that the clinic has been operating on a temporary license for the last few months, keeping a vet on staff for a few days a week. But that won’t be possible starting this week, so the family has no choice but to close the doors for good.
“We’re still open to someone stepping up and taking over, but the staffing shortage is the main issue. It’s a problem across the whole province. It’s a tough situation, but it’s just where we’re at right now.”
Dunbar also mentions that they reached out to several other clinics who were interested in buying the Portage clinic, but they too were unable to staff it.
“We’re stuck between a rock and a hard place. The decision is out of our hands. When it comes to closing, we don’t have a choice.”
He said that the reason the announcement is coming so late is because they’ve been in ongoing talks.
“We might be able to sell off some of the supplies, like pet food and things like that. But we can’t provide any veterinary services. We can sell over-the-counter items, but we haven’t made a final decision yet. We may stay open for a short time to help clear out some of the inventory. We’ll have to make that call in the next couple of days. Everything is happening at the last minute, so time is really tight.”
Dunbar also shares that Dr. Tammy Dunbar had previously operated a veterinary practice in Carman before opening the Portage clinic.