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Highlights from 2023​
Our work covered a lot of ground this year. 2023 was the year we invested in technology that intentionally positions us well for our future! We upgraded all of our internal IT systems from our medical records system to our human resources platform, and from our accounting system to our donor management database. These foundational support systems will allow us to serve our clients more efficiently, support our staff more seamlessly and position our practice well for the future. This investment is a good example of our ongoing emphasis on forward thinking. Veterinary medicine is constantly changing at a fast pace. To keep up, we need to keep evolving.
For our community and our donors, we are excited to take the first step toward becoming a
national resource for pet owners by building a second hospital in a new market. The need for accessible veterinary care, particularly accessible veterinary urgent care, is vast and not slowing down. We know Mission’s model of accessible care works and is sustainable—and cities across the country can benefit greatly from having a resource like Mission. Scaling our model of veterinary care equates with scaling our impact, which really just means we want to help more pets and families.
Mission has grown tremendously in the last nine years. While we always keep on eye on the future, our mindset still centers around one patient at a time and one client at a time. You will see a lot of numbers and statistics in this annual report, but every number is a pet or a person and we will never forget this.
I’m reminded of an old fable that tells of a child walking along a beach after a terrible storm washed up thousands of starfish. The child is throwing the starfish back into the ocean, when a man walking along the beach admonishes the child that he cannot save them all and can’t really make a difference. The child picks up a starfish and throws it back into the ocean and replies to the man “I made a difference for that one.” That’s the foundational ideal on which Mission was built.
As we look back on 2023, we have many reasons to be grateful to our community and our supporters for joining us on this journey. 2023 was a record year for donor support! As you read through our accomplishments this year, I have many reasons to be thankful and grateful to an incredible staff that made 2023 such a successful year. One pet at a time, one family at a time, one day at a time…making a difference.
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With gratitude,
Dr. Susan Miller
21,552
Pet Visits
7,803
Families Served
10,174
Unique Pets Given Care
In 2023 Mission Animal Hospital donors helped cover $2 million in care for pets in low-income families.
85.7%
of patients were part of our Mission Program
934
pet surrenders were prevented
61
veterinary students participated in externships at Mission
40%
of patients were cats
60%
of patients were dogs
The most popular names
Bella & Luna
Our patients came from
46 counties
across Minnesota
2,111 donors gave $1,282,920
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650 individuals gave $25 or less
305 donors gave $25—$100
123 donors gave $100—$250
52 donors gave $250—$500
52 donors gave $500—$1,000
54 donors gave $1,000—$5,000
15 donors gave $5,000 or more
14 veterinarians
1 board certified veterinary surgeon
24 vet technicians
13 vet assistants
9 customer service staff
1 social worker
5 administrative staff
2,110.5 hours
of volunteer hours were donated by 179 dedicated volunteers
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What affordable care means:
From our client survey
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24% of families in our Mission Program experience housing insecurity.
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9% of our Mission Program families have experienced homelessness in the last twelve months.
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65% of our Mission Program families faced food insecurity.
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44% of our Mission Program families faced pet food insecurity.
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99.5% of our clients think of their pets as family.
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Allison loves being able to give back to the place that has cared for her pets
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A sophomore at Hamline Unversity, in St. Paul, Allison grew up in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area and always had pets. Along with her busy class schedule, Allison is devoted to volunteering at Mission Animal Hospital, and completed nearly 150 hours of volunteer service in 2023!
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She first came to Mission because she had an interest in learning more about veterinary medicine. She developed an interest in veterinary medicine caring for her dog Pewee and her cat named Hazel. "Pewee is 11 years old now and my best friend. He means the world to me!" said Allison.
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Since starting her volunteer work at Mission, she has learned a lot, made a lot of friends, and created a meaningful experience to give back to a place that has helped her family through the years.
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We thank Allison for her service!!
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Transformative Programs
At Mission, we're more than an animal hospital, and we care for more than the pets that come to us. We care for entire communities! Read more below about our transformative programs, and how they are impacting pet owners, communities and the vet-med industry for the better.
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Social Work Program: Mission has been offering a veterinary social work program since 2022. In 2023, we expanded this program to include a full-time licensed master social worker (LMSW) on staff. Our social worker provides guidance to clients throughout the medical decision-making process, grief counseling when a family loses a pet, referral to social services such as housing or food assistance when needed, and more. We have found that having a social worker in the hospital is a huge benefit to our clients, providing one-on-one assistance to more than 600 families per year.
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Junior Vets: Mission Animal Hospital’s Junior Vets program brings high school students from diverse backgrounds into the hospital to gain hands-on work experience in the field of veterinary medicine. Through a unique partnership with Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, this award-winning program is the first high school veterinary work study program of its kind.
The veterinary industry is one of the least diverse in the U.S.: 90% of veterinarians identify as white. This is a dismal statistic that veterinary associations and schools have been attempting to tackle for years with limited success. Research shows the opportunity gap in STEM careers starts with the variety of careers that young people are exposed to. In this program, four high school students work directly with all of our medical staff during the school year, assisting in diagnostic and treatment procedures, learning more than 150 different STEM skills. The 2024-25 school year will be our third year of the Junior Vets program.
Veterinary Student Education Program: Mission Animal Hospital is a teaching hospital and has been training future veterinarians in the practice of Spectrum of Care medicine since 2020. Spectrum of Care medicine is the practice of providing evidence-based options, without judgment, that take into account a family’s financial circumstances, cultural barriers, lifestyle, and expectations. Each year, this program hosts more than 55 fourth-year veterinary students. Through this externship, we are influencing the next generation of veterinarians to practice in a community-centric way that increases the accessibility of veterinary medicine on a broad scale.
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High-Quality/High-Volume Spay/Neuter Program(HQHV): Mission partners with over 100 rescue and shelter organizations to provide veterinary care to pets as they search for their fur-ever home. During the “puppy and kitten season” (Spring through early Fall), Mission offers weekly High-Quality/High-Volume Spay/Neuter events, providing low-cost spay/neuters for pets currently in rescue or shelter. During each HQHV event, our veterinarians and medical teams will spay or neuter up to 30-40 pets each week and administer appropriate vaccinations, bloodwork, and microchips. This is often the final barrier pets face before being placed in their fur-ever home.
Corporate Supporters
We are so grateful to the businesses and corporations who have supported us throughout the year.
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Cargill
Camp Bow Wow
Cyber Advisors
Downtown Dogs & Dog's Day Out
Eisner Amper
Exteriors by Highmark
IDEXX
Merck Animal Health
Meristem-Cresset
Mogo Media
Minnetonka
Pet Cremation Services of Minnesota
Polaris
Purina
Snap Print
TerWisscha Construction and Design
Tradition Capital Bank
VetBilling
Financials
Presented below are Mission Animal Hospital's 2022 financial breakdowns, according to an independent audit. The organization's 2023 financials will undergo an independent audit and will be available later this year. ​
2023 Board of Directors
William Sternberg (Chair 2023)
Tom Paulson (Treasurer 2023)
PJ Halverson (Secretary 2023)
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Rebecca Anderson
Jen Bailey
Alexis Barber
Ralph Bernstein
Taylor Bennett
Dave Boyce
Jordan Britt
Todd Lifson
Jennifer Melin Miller
Susan Miller
Anne Paape
Kate Pexa
Oliver Phan
Dr. Beth Rausch
David Stillman
Raj Shah
Dan Washam
Staff Leadership
Susan Miller, DVM, Executive Director
Kelsey Bertamus, DVM, Hospital Director
Christine Durand, Development Director
Kellie Lager, Human Resources Director
Previous Annual Reports
Mission Animal Hospital
10100 Viking Drive Suite 150
Eden Prairie, MN 55344
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Phone: 952-938-1237
Email: info@missionah.org
Mission Animal Hospital is a 501(c)(3) tax-deductible nonprofit recognized by the IRS.
Tax ID number: 47-2606680
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The materials offered on this website are intended for educational purposes only. Mission Animal Hospital does not provide any veterinary medical services or guidance via the Internet. Please consult your pet’s veterinarian regarding the care of your animals.
© 2023 Mission Animal Hospital