BY SCOTT D. JOHNSTON
As she reflected on her retirement after a decade of owning the Ocean Shores Animal Hospital, Dr. Stacy Steele recalled that she had been in town for just a couple of weeks when Joan Baus asked on behalf of North Beach PAWS if she would do a free spay/neuter clinic for pets of low income residents of the North Coast.
This Saturday, December 9, it comes full circle as Dr. Steele and staff perform their 43rd free spay/neuter clinic. After working on 35 or so local pets, they will clean up and welcome the public to a retirement open house honoring the 57-year-old veterinarian, beginning sometime between 12 and 1 p.m., depending on how the morning’s surgeries go.
Dr. Steele sold the business and property, located at 800 Ocean Shores Blvd. NW, in May, continued to work full-time for three months, then two days a week until mid-October. The new owners have operated Companion Animal Hospital in Aberdeen since early 2016.
Although she still will occasionally fill in at her old clinic, vet services are now being led by Dr. Teri Byrd, who also practices at Companion, and by Dr. Mike Freel.
A 1990 graduate of Auburn (Alabama) University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Steele “always knew I wanted to be a doctor, but I didn’t always know what that meant.” She was 14 and growing up in San Diego when working in a veterinary clinic convinced her “that is what I would be doing, and I never changed from there.” Her career has included stops in England, Prince Edward Island in eastern Canada, New Mexico and Silverdale, WA. In 2007, circumstances created an opportunity and she bought Ocean Shores Animal Hospital. She had no experience with the business side of veterinary medicine, and soon found that medicine was the smaller part of the job.
She started working with a management company, hired some key personnel, and began marketing and growing the business. In addition to the constant demands of being an owner-operator, she eventually began feeling a few twinges of something quite common among all kinds of professional caregivers, “compassion fatigue.”
“I started thinking about selling around three years ago,” she said. The sale was completed this May.
Since fall, she has been enjoying a couple of her passions, travel and the World Vets organization, which brings veterinarians, medical staff, and volunteers together to aid pets around the world. She explained that, with the community supporting fund-raising events, she and her staff “have been able to travel to third world countries to offer veterinary services to communities that have none.” Over nine years, those trips have taken her to the Caribbean, Central and South America, eastern Europe and central and southeast Asia. The adventures typically consisted of several days of long hours of volunteer veterinary work, followed by a few days of tourist fun. She found it a very meaningful way to combine her professional passion with personal pleasure.
“Part of it is public health. A lot of places have huge problems with stray dogs and cats,” and she knows sterilization is an important tool not available in much of the world. Plus, “It’s a way to travel fairly inexpensively… and you get to see and do things, interact with local people in ways you definitely would never get to do as a tourist.”
For her World Vets visit to Nepal last month, the adventures were even more exciting. The sale of her business was completed in May.
“Hey, I’m retired,” she thought. So her trip was extended to five weeks, and included some once in a lifetime experiences like white water thrills and trekking through exotic areas.
She will also indulge her wanderlust domestically in her new 24-foot RV. She’s “taken a few little trips,” and is preparing for an extended journey to Florida and back.
Ocean Shores will still be her home, where she will continue to indulge another passion. She is one of the founders of Stage West Community Theatre, has appeared on the stage and behind the scenes for the past seven years, and continues to serve as vice president of the local non-profit group.
She will miss her practice. “Many dear clients have become special friends,” she noted. Still, she is confident she’s done the right thing at the right time, as evidenced by a response to her picture in a recent Facebook post: “Dr. Steele,” an acquaintance inquired, “did you get younger?”
Dr. Steele’s letter to the community
As I enter into retirement, I am reflecting on the past ten years in this wonderful city of Ocean Shores. Thank youall for a wonderful 10 years! It has been a special time getting to know you and to be entrusted to care for yourwonderful furry kids. I appreciate your trust in me and my wonderful staff at Ocean Shores Animal Hospital incaring for the special dogs and cats in Ocean Shores and the North Beach area. It has been an honor working witheach and every one of you. I also want to thank the fantastic staff that made care and love of our pet patientspossible. Michelle Smith, who has been my “right hand” for the entire time. Blue Hummel, whose pampering of allthe pets is so appreciated. Debbie Lawrence, always so bright and bubbly in reception and other staff members,past and present, have been unbeatable. Working with the rescue organizations and being able to give back to thecommunity has been a big part of my time here. It was only a couple of weeks after I arrived in Ocean Shores thatJoan and Gordon Baus welcomed me into the community and their lives AND Joan asked if I would be willing to dospay/neuter clinics in conjunction with North Beach PAWS! Dear Joan and Gordon are gone, but their memories arestill in our hearts. Our team at OSAH and NB Paws has provided 42 spay/neuter clinics at no cost to low incomefamilies helping close to 1500 dogs and cats to lead healthier and happier lives and no longer contribute to petoverpopulation. Thank you all!
The support of the community when we took our veterinary skills worldwide, traveling with the World Vetsorganization has been very special. Over the last nine years the staff at OSAH and I have been able to travel tothird world countries to offer veterinary services to communities that have none. By supporting the fund raisers,staff members have been able to go on trips around the world to help care for these under privileged pets.
I feel confident that the new owners of Ocean Shores Animal Hospital will continue to provide the quality care withcompassion that you have come to expect. Periodically, expect to see me filling in there when needed. Although Ihave sold the practice, I will remain in Ocean Shores and continue to be involved in many community events.
So many pets have left lasting memories in my heart. Many dear clients have become special friends. As I start thisnew phase of my life, I reflect back on the last ten years, smile, and say “thank you” to you all! I expect to see youaround town and on the beach! Again, please accept my love and humble thanks.
Sincerely,
Stacy Steele, DVM
