We want to help you keep your pets healthy — not just treat them when they are sick. So we will do our best to help you keep them:

  • Properly vaccinated
  • Up on heartworm prevention
  • Up on the care of their teeth
  • From developing bad behavioral habits
  • Spayed/neutered
  • Fed a good quality diet
  • At a healthy weight
  • Monitored as they get older!

Why St. Francis? Who is He?

Many of you know St. Francis (1181-1226) as the "Saint who loved animals" or the patron saint of animals. And that's true! But it wasn't always true. Francis was the son of a wealthy cloth merchant in Assisi, Italy. He hob-knobbed with all the local noblemen and was renowned for his ability to have fun, entertain, and party. All that changed when he went to war, became a prisoner, and became very ill. After his release from prison his illness lingered. When he became well — he was a changed man. His priorities had shifted completely.

St. Francis came to love not only animals but also all of creation. He wrote this beautiful canticle:

The Canticle of Brother Sun

Most high, omnipotent, good Lord,
Praise, glory and honor and benediction all are thine.
To thee alone do they belong, most High, and there is no man fit to mention thee.

Praise be to thee, my Lord, with all thy creatures,
Especially to my worshipful brother sun,
The which lights up the day, and through him dost thou brightness give;
And beautiful is he and radiant with splendor great;
Of thee, most High, signification gives.

Praised be my Lord, for sister moon and for the stars,
In heaven thou hast formed them clear and precious and fair.
Praised be my Lord for brother wind
And for the air and clouds and fair and every kind of weather,
By the which thou givest to thy creatures nourishment.

Praised be my Lord for sister water,
The which is greatly helpful and humble and precious and pure.

Praised be my Lord for brother fire,
By the which thou lightest up the dark.
And fair is he and gay and mighty and strong.

Praised be my Lord for our sister, mother earth,
The which sustains and keeps us
And brings forth diverse fruits with grass and flowers bright.

Praised be my Lord for those who for thy love forgive
And weakness bear and tribulation.
Blessed those who shall in peace endure,
For by thee, most High, shall they be crowned.

Praised be my Lord for our sister, the bodily death,
From the which no living man can flee.
Woe to them who die in mortal sin;
Blessed those who shall find themselves in thy most holy will,
For the second death shall do them no ill.

Praise ye and bless ye my Lord, and give him thanks,
And be subject unto him with great humility.

The Writings Of St. Francis, Porziuncola, pp 21-23

St. Francis renounced all of his possessions and "got back to nature" and closer to God by living in poverty. We like St. Francis because he chose creation over the world and, in a way much less obvious, we imitated him by choosing Veterinary Medicine over more lucrative careers.