max.bowen@northstarreporter.com
If your Fur Babies are in need of a helping hand, these veterinarians know what to do.
Amanda O’Shea, Dawn Schmier Friedman, and Rachel Ashley recently opened the doors to the Wrentham Animal Hospital, part of a new development on Route 1. All three used to work together at the Banfield Pet Hospital in North Attleborough until a change in ownership caused them to seek other opportunities. Friedman, who ran the Banfield location until 2015, said she enjoyed the experience and sought out her former co-workers to start this new operation.
“We all worked together and stayed in touch,” said Friedman. “It’s nice to be reunited again.”
Opened in late October, the hospital has an open-air layout with labs, surgical suites, and multiple exam rooms—even separate areas for cats and dogs. Friedman said this allows the new practice to be busy and grow and the pass-through design allows staff to move easily from one area to another.
“We went through a long list of things we wanted and things we didn’t want,” said Friedman.
The services at the new animal hospital range from vaccines and preventative care to ultrasounds, dental work, and surgeries, all of which the staff is very familiar with. In fact, they joked that the new computer system has proved to be the most challenging aspect of the new location.
“We’ve all been doctors for a long time and came from areas where we were efficient and finding all these tech problems,” said Friedman. “It’s challenging for people who are perfectionists.”
The usual variety of pets are welcome at the Wrentham Animal Hospital, though farm animals and fish cannot be seen, and they have limited experience with birds and reptiles. In addition to seeing clients at the hospital, they also work with area animal shelters, including the one in North Attleborough. Recently, they helped a turtle who had developed shell rot.
In addition to all their services and skills sets, the staff is certified in Fear Free training. This has been around for approximately five years, and teaches veterinarians how to keep animals calm. O’Shea said that having to force a dog in to be seen can be difficult, and using pheromone therapy or reward techniques can help calm them down.
“We want to make it a good experience for them,” said O’Shea. “We don’t want fearful animals that you have to drag through the door.”
The Wrentham Animal Hospital is located at 5 Ledgeview Way, Wrentham. For more information, visit www.wrenthamanimalhospital.com.
