CHATHAM, Va. (WDBJ) – The Chatham Animal Clinic is opening a new set of doors for more paws and hooves to walk through than ever before.
Four-legged friends have been visiting the Chatham Animal Clinic since it opened in 1992.
Dr. Lisa Shorter started the practice on her own, but it has since grown to over 30 employees.
With a growing team and an increase in patients every year, they needed a bigger space.
“It is so much smaller,” said Dr. Lisa Shorter, Chatham Animal Clinic Veterinarian. “Even with the receptionist area and the waiting area, you’re just crammed in there now.”
Dr. Shorter and her partner Dr. Paul Irwin chose to renovate the former shopping center on North Main Street.
The 17,000-square-foot facility is four times the size of the previous clinic, allowing them to see twice the number of large and small animals.
“You hear all the time that you can’t get your animals spayed or neutered because there’s such a waiting list. We will be able to double what we’re doing now and we’re doing a lot now. We’re helping other clinics and we’re helping the Pet Center as well, so that is a big plus for the community,” added Dr Shorter.
It includes more exam rooms, an indoor temperature-controlled barn, and larger surgery rooms for performing multiple procedures at a time.
“We never had that before. It was one of each at a time. So, it’ll help a whole lot as far as helping the community help their pets get what they need now, versus, ‘you’ve got to come back in a couple of days,’” explained Dr. Shorter.
Students will also be able to stay in the facility during their internships instead of having to find housing.
It will be the only clinic in the county to offer chiropractic care and shockwave therapy for chronic pain and inflammation.
“We want to practice both high-quality medicine and surgery. Now, we have the building to do it in. I don’t think… we didn’t do that, we just didn’t have the capability to do some of the things that we wanted to do. Now, it opens up a whole new field for us,” said Dr. Shorter.
The new clinic will open for clients on August 4.
The grand opening where people will be able to tour the facility will be on August 9.