CHECK OUT MEXIVET EXPRESS—AND OUR FOUNDER, ANNA GINSKY—IN THE NEWS

In this bonus episode, meet a woman who takes people’s pets from San Diego to Tijuana for more affordable veterinary care. It’s a story about the great lengths we’ll go to for our furry friends.

Cheaper by the border: Why Americans are heading to Mexico for vet care

USA TODAY - More business in Mexican vet clinics

San Diego resident Anna Ginsky said she was quoted about $2,000 for dental work for her dog in 2015. She opted for a clinic in Mexico that she said charged her just $300. 

The visit sparked a business idea, and now Ginsky runs MexiVet Express, a transportation and liaison service that takes American pets to clinics in Baja California and back. While most of Ginsky's customers are from California, she said she's had some fly in from far-off cities like Chicago to access more affordable veterinary care. 

SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – Almost eight-million households in California own at least one pet. Here in San Diego county, at least 52% of all households are home to a dog or cat. This has contributed to a booming vet business of more than $97 million per year globally. A business, much like medical care for humans, is now crossing over the border.

For most families who have a pet, the furry friend becomes a part of the family. And just like people, animals need routine care like teeth cleaning or vaccines. The average cost of owning a pet can range from 700 to over a thousand dollars per year, according to the ASPCA. That doesn’t include situations when your four-legged family member needs an operation.