Kerriann Swinton is one of hundreds of Dubbo residents who turned to the Animal Welfare League NSW's free vet truck for essential services when it made a stop in Dubbo last Monday.

For her six-month old kelpie, Nelly, Ms Swinton used the truck to access vaccination and microchipping due to financial constraints.

"We hadn't tried to get her into a local vet yet, it was a financial issue for us," she said.

"It was important for us to do though because there's a lot of parvo around, we've had dogs that got sick before and we want to prevent that from happening.

"My husband drives a stock truck so Nelly will be a working dog and we wanted to get her microchipped so if something happens and someone finds her we can get her back."

The RSPCA estimates annual vaccinations and veterinary checks for dogs are an average of $90 - a cost which can be prohibitive to people already feeling the pinch.

Animal Welfare League NSW vet Tanya McGee said many Dubbo locals turned to the truck for care because they didn't have enough money to spare or they were struggling to book an appointment at local clinics.

"It was so hectic, there were hundreds of people. Some people just wanted a health check looking at something like a lump or a cut leg or dental problems," she said.

"A lot of people had financial constraints or were having trouble getting appointments for vets in this area."

Dr Lydia Herbert from Orana Veterinary Services told the Daily Liberal last year that a rise in pet ownership and short-staffed clinics both made meeting the demand for appointments more difficult.

Her clinic was one of more than 800 across the country struggling to stay fully-staffed - with factors like burn-out leading to a high turnover rate of staff in clinics.

"It's a complex, multifactorial issue that needs a complex, multifactorial solution. But the short answer is, it comes down to attrition rate. The average vet will practise for five years before leaving and doing other things," she said at the time.

"It's the long hours, the pay rate - the average vet earns $72,000 per annum and a new graduate will earn $60,000 or sometimes less - and it is an emotionally-charged and high-stress industry."

Despite a record high number of people completing vet courses, federal government data shows there has been a shortage of vets for the past three years.

This has left some central west towns without a vet at all.

In May 2022, the only veterinary clinic in Parkes closed its doors with vet Daryl Elphick - who had been with the clinic for 22 years - explaining it was impossible to keep it going when he couldn't recruit and retain full time staff.

"I feel really sorry for the people who can't travel ... It would be nice if somebody else came here and opened a clinic. We can't do it any longer, just the two of us," Dr Elphick said.

Rayleen Mills, who lives in Parkes, also took advantage of the mobile vet truck when it made a stop in Forbes last Thursday. She thanked the Animal Welfare League NSW for bringing the service to an area it was desperately needed.

"It was wonderful to have access to a mobile vet truck now that Parkes has no vet anymore. Everyone was so lovely," she said.

The Animal Welfare League's vet bus will be coming back to the central west in a few months' time, until then, Dr McGee urges locals who might be struggling to afford vet bills to talk to their local vet or an animal welfare organisation.

"I know they're busy, but a lot of them will be more than happy to accommodate if they can. There are also other organisations that can help if you're having financial difficulties," she said.

"Vaccinations are important. They're really the only thing which will stop pets from getting those preventable diseases."

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: