Happy birthday to us!

May 2014 marks Union Lake Veterinary Hospital’s 40th Anniversary, and we couldn’t be more excited! This milestone is both exhilarating and humbling for us, as it not only marks a professional lifetime of service for our founding partner, Dr. Robert Redisch, DVM, but our ongoing dedication to the pets and pet owners of the Waterford community as well.

In 1974, Dr. Redisch had a dream and a vision of building a pet care complex at the forefront of veterinary medicine that he could pass on as a legacy to his community. 40 years later, he has certainly made his dream a reality for Waterford area pets and the people who love them.

Not surprisingly, a lot has changed since the humble beginnings of Union Lake Veterinary Hospital, 40 years ago. Advances in veterinary medicine and our understanding of animals’ needs have grown, just as the Waterford community has, and our practice has reflected that growth inside and out. What was once a small practice run out of a house with pear trees on the property and a grooming school (run by Dr. Redisch’s wife and mother-in-law) in the back yard is now a state-of-the-art veterinary complex complete with a rehabilitation center, training specialists, and a pet resort.

But what hasn’t changed in those 40 years is our unending love of animals and our commitment to their care.

In fact, that dedication is what has kept us striving to become what we are today, and will become in the years ahead. By constantly reinvesting our profits into our services, equipment, and staff education, we have been able to grow into the veterinary hospital you know and trust today – and we will continue to invest in your pet’s care in the years ahead, in hopes that the return will yield your continued trust and support in the future.

Union Lake Veterinary Hospital: The Good Ol’ Days

Not surprisingly, a good deal of reminiscing about the good ol’ days has been done in the past weeks as we look back at our roots and plan for our future. And, since any story worth telling is worth telling at least twice, we thought we’d share a few of our most memorable moments.

Remember that time when…

  • One of our first patients to be neutered was a Billy goat?
  • Dr. Redisch declawed a lion for a client from Algonac?
  • Dr. Redisch and Dr. Plein successfully treated a sick turkey in a wheelbarrow?
  • The monkey came in for an exam and climbed up the blinds and we couldn’t get it down?
  • The parrot that used to say “Let me out! Let me out!” when it was in it’s carrier, and “Shut up! Shut Up!” when the clients argued?
  • A client brought in a Siberian tiger to be neutered..! And then, the next year when it came in for an exam (weighing 185 pounds), when we Dr. Redisch asked what room he wanted to treat it in, he replied, “Whatever room it wants to go in!”?
  • The client who brought in a pot bellied pig for treatment, and it was actually a full-grown regular pig?
  • Or when clients would pick the pears growing in the yard and make pear jam as a gift, or as a payment for treatment?
  • Or the 65-70 year-old tortoise we treated for years?

There have been so many exceptional moments at Union Lake Veterinary Hospital, but really, it’s the small, everyday moments that have our hearts.

The first exams for a new pet, the routine vaccinations and wellness visits, the long nights and touch-and-go surgeries, the time spent in rehab with a pet, and all the sorrowful, sweet goodbyes… Those are the moments that have made us who we, as veterinarians and as a practice, are today.

As the saying goes, we’ve come a long way, baby; but we wouldn’t be where we are today without you and your pets. Your support, your loyalty, your patience, and even your love… that what is at the heart of everything we do at Union Lake Veterinary Hospital, and will be for years to come.

And, as always, if you need anything, please give us a call. We’ll be here for you.