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A Tribute to Western Avenue Veterinary Clinic
By Rod Lauman
Volunteer and Board Member
There have been many recent changes in the local scene regarding animal care facilities. One of those changes has been the purchase of Western Avenue Veterinary Clinic and St. Johnsbury Animal Hospital, as well as Dr. Steen’s practice in St. Johnsbury and Dr. Henderson's practice in Lyndonville. These have all been consolidated into one updated and modern facility in a newly renovated building on Railroad St. in St. Johnsbury. I will talk about Western Avenue Veterinary Clinic in this issue and St. Johnsbury Animal Hospital in the July issue. Without these two animal clinics, Kingdom Animal Shelter would not have been able to operate as we have been. Having close access to our clinics is a big thing since we are an all-volunteer Shelter and need to be able to find transport people to get cats to and from the clinics. I am one of the primary volunteers that does transport, so I was at both clinics regularly with our cats.
Prior to Western Ave Vet Clinic, the clinic in that building was started by Dr. John Stetson and was Stetson's Animal Hospital. When I was a young boy, my parents took my childhood dog, Flaun there for her shots, etc. Later on it was purchased and run by Drs. Craig and Sally Calamaio and became Companion Animal Care.
Western Ave has been so easy to work with helping our cats at KAS. They were able to do intake right at the clinic which made it so much easier and also safer for the other cats and volunteers at KAS. Dr. Craig tended to our cats for many years. In recent years, Dr. Melora Hunt was primarily tending to our cats and has done a great job. She is continuing to do that for us at Kingdom Animal Hospital. Vet tech Leslie Jacques also gave her all for the KAS cats. Luckily for us she is also able to continue that in her new position as Lead Vet Tech at the new facility.
Leslie also spends some of her time off at the Shelter, monitoring the cats’ health, trimming nails, giving any appropriate treatments.
The vet techs and other staff at Western Ave had always been so helpful and assisted with some pretty tough situations over the years.
I recently had a chat with Sandy McHugh who was a long time employee and vet tech at Western Ave. She is a good friend of KAS and has always been so helpful. She has been promoted to office manager at the new Kingdom Animal Hospital. She said that she really enjoyed working with the volunteers at KAS that handle the cats coming to and from Western Ave. She said that KAS goes above and beyond in our animal care. She said that we take really good care of our animals in the process of getting them on to their new homes. She is looking forward to continuing to work with us at the new facility at Kingdom Animal Hospital.
By Rod Lauman
Volunteer and Board Member
There have been many recent changes in the local scene regarding animal care facilities. One of those changes has been the purchase of Western Avenue Veterinary Clinic and St. Johnsbury Animal Hospital, as well as Dr. Steen’s practice in St. Johnsbury and Dr. Henderson's practice in Lyndonville. These have all been consolidated into one updated and modern facility in a newly renovated building on Railroad St. in St. Johnsbury. I will talk about Western Avenue Veterinary Clinic in this issue and St. Johnsbury Animal Hospital in the July issue. Without these two animal clinics, Kingdom Animal Shelter would not have been able to operate as we have been. Having close access to our clinics is a big thing since we are an all-volunteer Shelter and need to be able to find transport people to get cats to and from the clinics. I am one of the primary volunteers that does transport, so I was at both clinics regularly with our cats.
Prior to Western Ave Vet Clinic, the clinic in that building was started by Dr. John Stetson and was Stetson's Animal Hospital. When I was a young boy, my parents took my childhood dog, Flaun there for her shots, etc. Later on it was purchased and run by Drs. Craig and Sally Calamaio and became Companion Animal Care.
Western Ave has been so easy to work with helping our cats at KAS. They were able to do intake right at the clinic which made it so much easier and also safer for the other cats and volunteers at KAS. Dr. Craig tended to our cats for many years. In recent years, Dr. Melora Hunt was primarily tending to our cats and has done a great job. She is continuing to do that for us at Kingdom Animal Hospital. Vet tech Leslie Jacques also gave her all for the KAS cats. Luckily for us she is also able to continue that in her new position as Lead Vet Tech at the new facility.
Leslie also spends some of her time off at the Shelter, monitoring the cats’ health, trimming nails, giving any appropriate treatments.
The vet techs and other staff at Western Ave had always been so helpful and assisted with some pretty tough situations over the years.
I recently had a chat with Sandy McHugh who was a long time employee and vet tech at Western Ave. She is a good friend of KAS and has always been so helpful. She has been promoted to office manager at the new Kingdom Animal Hospital. She said that she really enjoyed working with the volunteers at KAS that handle the cats coming to and from Western Ave. She said that KAS goes above and beyond in our animal care. She said that we take really good care of our animals in the process of getting them on to their new homes. She is looking forward to continuing to work with us at the new facility at Kingdom Animal Hospital.