AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) — Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine hosted its “One Health Clinic” at Guyon Saunders Resource Center.

According to officials with TTUHSC under the supervision of faculty students from TTUHSC and TTUSVM were able to help those experiencing homelessness along with their pets.

“Yeah, so today, we are providing health screenings. So, we’re doing blood pressure and blood glucose, just to do a basic screening for the homeless population here in Amarillo. As well as giving flu immunizations, just because it is flu season,” said Vice President of Student National Pharmaceutical Association, Jennifer Hale. “With them being out in the elements, they’re definitely more prone to be getting sick. So, this will just kind of help prevent that from happening.”

TTUSVM was at the event and provided physical exams and annual vaccinations for pets, including rabies vaccinations which were provided by a partnership with Merck.

“So, one of the missions of our vet school is providing one health, which is basically the interaction of human health care with veterinary health care, because there are diseases out there such as rabies, that is zoonotic,” said TTUSVM student Colton Buttgen. “That’s one of the vaccines that we’re giving today, just to help prevent that spread of that disease being spread between animals and humans, and the overall betterment of the environment.”

Buttgen said that this event benefits the community but also allows both TTUHSC and TTUSVM students to get more practice working in their community.

“So, the city of Amarillo helped out the vet school so much, and it’s in our hands now that give back to Amarillo. And I feel like by doing this, we’re not only limiting the disease outbreak, but we’re helping other members of the community,” said Buttgen. “And this also helps the vet school students to get really good repetitions on physical exams.”