Santa Maria Sun / Biz Brief

Spotlight on: Be Right There

BY JASON BANANIA

Your pet’s next doctor’s appointment could be in your own living room.

Pet vet: Be Right There has evolved from operating out of a small car to the vehicle shown here, and it isn't done evolving. Owner Julie Bosserman said she plans to upgrade it with new equipment, such as an x-ray machine, in the near future. PHOTO COURTESY OF RYAN EDWARDS

Be Right There is a veterinary clinic on wheels. The mobile clinic is based in Nipomo but travels all the way to Los Alamos. It’s equipped with diagnostic and surgical equipment, such as blood analyzers, heart and blood pressure monitors, and surgical tables. Dental treatment can also be administered with on-board instruments for tooth extraction, as well as ultrasonic cleaners to help prevent the loss of teeth and to keep your pet’s breath smelling fresh.

Veterinarian Julie Bosserman started Be Right There in December 2011. After doing relief work all around California, she saw that many clinics were already well established in different counties, and realized that she needed to do something different. So instead of having patients visit her clinic, she thought it would be a better idea to bring the clinic to her patients. She believes in-house calls allow a much more intimate doctor-patient relationship than a clinical setting.

“There’s a need by people to have a veterinarian come to their house,” Bosserman said. “I like to sit down and have conversations with people. I don’t like having appointments every 15 minutes where the focus is getting people in and out. I like to spend time with people and take my time to explain ways to help them become successful pet owners.”

Bosserman graduated from Cal Poly in SLO with a degree in Animal Science, then headed to the Caribbean to earn a doctorate of veterinary medicine from Ross University in 2010. She treats a variety of animals, such as dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters, and rats.

Among the care Bosserman offers are vaccinations, health checkups, physical exams, flea and tick prevention, and hospice care. In fact, Bosserman said most of her calls are related to hospice treatment.

“I do a lot of in-home euthanasia. It’s a really nice service for people. It’s not fun to have to take your animal in to be euthanized,” Bosserman said. “You can get it in the comfort at your own home; pets are a lot less nervous and it’s a lot more comfortable for everybody.”

Bosserman said she’d soon include alternative treatments to her practice, such as chiropractic and acupuncture techniques. These alternative treatments can be an option for pet owners who might not have money to pay for costly surgeries.

According to Bosserman, acupuncture can be used to relieve pain for animals suffering from ailments such as hip dysplasia—for which hip replacement surgery is the standard treatment—and orthopedic problems like arthritis.

The next addition to her clinic will be an instrument called the Cold Laser, which uses a low-energy laser beam in place of the thin stainless steel needles typically used in traditional acupuncture.

Bosserman also said she plans to merge her business with Rolling Vets, a similar service offered in Santa Barbara.

If you would like your pet friend to get checked out, you can set an appointment by calling 709-6838.

Highlights

• Want to enjoy some smoked barbecue while making connections and growing your business? Visit the next Santa Maria Young Professionals mixer on June 6, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Rancho Nipomo BBQ & Deli.

Ed Carcarey of Mega 97.1/Emerald Wave Media, and owner of several local radio stations, will give a short presentation. Raffle prizes will be available as well, so attendees are encouraged to bring business cards for the drawings. The mixer is open to the public. Attendees can RSVP on Facebook or drop in.

Rancho Nipomo BBQ & Deli is located just north of the Santa Maria River at 108 Cuyama Lane in Nipomo.

For more information, visit smypng.org.