My wife and I are one pet short of running a farm.
Our Animal Family (<–182 pics) consists of one Boxer/Lab/Shepard mixed dog, Morocco … and 3 rescued cats. Kristina told me once that we either get another pet or start having children – but not both.
Taking our pets to the vet has always been a challenge, especially the 3 cats. When we moved to Salt Lake City in June, we were looking for a place to board Morocco (the dog – pay attention!). I asked a few people and all said “Desert Dog Daycare” without hesitation. The owners and staff at Desert Dog Daycare are the best. They love and have a true passion for all things animal related. But I’m saving their story for another post.
The Referral
The best place to ask about a good vet is at a (good) animal daycare facility. The owners of Desert Dog Daycare had earned my trust – based on the endorsement from their other clients as well as my 3 visits with Morocco. So, when they told me that I should try Dr. Rick Whitty (aka, “the mobile vet”) I didn’t waste any time. Important to note: I trusted my source. My source trusted Dr. Whitty. Therefore, I trusted Dr. Whitty. Pretty sure they call that the transitive relation.
The Visit/Exam
I had never heard of this mobile vet concept, but had a vision in my head of what it would be like. Dr. Whitty and his assistant did not let me down. They rolled up in my driveway in their “mobile van” (see picture at top). They proceeded to unload their gear (read: vet tools) and get right into it.
Sidebar: Veterinarians tend to not be the most human-social individuals. Maybe it’s because they spend much of their non-sleeping hours around animals. Who knows. But I’ve never met a vet who was not a bit socially awkward.
A few pictures of Mr. Mobile Vet (and assistant) in action:
Dr. Whitty and “the assistant” (he mumbled his name and I did both to ask for clarification) were the best. They were true professionals. They clearly cared for our cats (or “kitties” as the Doc called them). They told it how they saw it. They didn’t try to upsell/oversell me on more shots and pills. They examined, diagnosed, and advised. I love them both.
The Outcome
All of the cats are fine. Well, kinda. Elly is still fat (Trust me: look at the picture). She may need to have some blood work done. She may need her teeth cleaned. She may need some diet pills. But overall, the cats are quite healthy. But here’s the other good news. We’ve found our vet. Dr. Rick “mobile” Whitty. Even better for Dr. Whitty, we will also now endorse him. Thanks, Doc.
Do you have an interesting referral story to share? What about a positive vet experience? Or if you answered “no” to the first 2 questions, how about just some pictures of your animal family…
DJ Waldow
@djwaldow
