Some of our younger clients,
and even a majority of our employees may find this hard to believe, but Noah’s
Animal Hospitals has seen a lot of interesting changes in our world over the
years. When we first started with our
flagship hospital in 1982, parachute pants, mullets and getting “Physical” with
Olivia Newton John were the rage.
In the
intervening 30 years, we have seen changes in technology, like the growth of
the Internet and popularity of the mobile phone, changes in the world, like the
reunification of Germany and the dissolution of the Soviet Union and we have
seen our share of horrific events, from the 9/11 bombings to space shuttle
disasters. We have also experienced
shifts in popular dog breeds, changing vaccine protocols and a whole gamut of
new products and diets designed to help our pets live longer, more comfortable
lives. .
Heck…even our communications
with our clients have changed…we now text people about their appointments or
email reminders about medical care instead of sending post cards! Instead of finding us in the phone book,
clients can look us up on the Web or on Facebook!
Through it all, one thing has
remained constant…our strong desire to provide the highest quality care for
your four legged family members. Our
tools and technology may transform, but our passion for you and your pets
remains unwavering.
I graduated from Auburn
University’s College of Veterinary Medicine with honors in 1968. Like most veterinarians, I was eager to get
out and learn all I could from the leaders of that time. After an internship in Chicago, I spent time
working in North Carolina and owned my own practice in Miami for 13 years. That
was a very exciting time for me as I spent time healing dogs and cats, but also
got to treat exotic animals, like monkeys and large macaws. |
| Glass Emerson Way - built 1970 |
Getting back to my home state
of Indiana was important and when I saw the opportunity to purchase Glass
Animal Hospital near 56th Street and Emerson in Indianapolis, I knew
the time was right. From the moment we
took over and renamed it “Noah’s”, this hospital has been state of the art and
the centerpiece in our group of veterinary clinics. The building is beautiful, highly functional,
and serves as the hub for all of our businesses.
As an added bonus, the
energetic, smart high school student who was helping in the kennel at that time
has remained with us today…you may know her now
as Dr. Mary Grabow, the hospital director at our Noah’s Caring Hands
Animal Hospital.
 |
| Dr. Mary Grabow |
My vision has always been to
provide the best care and value for pet owners and it was just a logical
extension of that vision to expand Noah’s to Speedway in 1987. From there, it’s been a thrilling journey as
we have reached out to help pets and their people all across Central Indiana. Our hospitals now include four in
Indianapolis, 2 in Greenfield and our
newest location that just opened this fall, in Carmel Along the way we have met some great friends
and incorporated some fantastic ideas, all in the goal of making sure that your
pets have everything that they might need when it comes to healthcare.
I am very proud of our
accomplishments and achievements during these past 30 years. Perhaps the most apparent of these has been
the development and growth of our 24 hour Emergency and Critical Care facility
at the 56th Street location.
We saw the need for a full-time animal emergency hospital on this side
of Indianapolis and we have been greatly encouraged by the positive response we
have had from the community over the past twelve years. Our recent remodel and expansion at this
facility is further proof that our services are needed in this area.
 |
| Remodel in progress |
But, we have grown in other
ways too…we offer affordable plans to help people with their pet’s care at many
of our locations. This has helped pet
owners understand that veterinary medicine and their pets’ care is not always a
“one size fits all” solution. We work
with our clients to help them not only understand their pets’ needs, but also
how we can help them meet those needs.
We have seen our staff grow
from 1 full time and three part time in 1982 to more than 120 today. From graduate veterinarians to registered
technicians, highly trained assistants and friendly front office staff, we all
believe that our purpose is to help you take care of your best friend. We pride ourselves on the training and
education we provide for these team members.
We encourage them always to consider furthering their own development by
attending lectures, seminars or even returning to school to become a Registered
Veterinary Technician, Certified Practice Manager or a specialist in any of the
many aspects of veterinary medicine.
 |
| Dr. Mike Thomas, Jessie (Dr. T's Border Collie) and Santa |
As I stay involved with many
different national veterinary associations, like the American Animal Hospital
Association, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Veterinary
Information Network and National Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners, I have
the opportunity to learn how to make caring for your pets a little easier. All of us at Noah’s see our role not only
being “the best friend of your best friend”, but also a trusted resource for
you and any questions that you might have.
I am honored to be part of
the Central Indiana community and part of the veterinary profession. But above all, I treasure the wonderful
clients and pets that I have met over these past 30 years and look forward to
helping many, many more. Thanks to
everyone who has helped us build Noah’s into an amazing, caring place for your
pets.
Dr. Mike Thomas
