• DVM360_Conference_Charlotte,NC_banner
  • ACVCACVC
  • DVM 360
  • Fetch DVM 360Fetch DVM 360
DVM 360
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
By Role
AssociatesOwnersPractice ManagerStudentsTechnicians
Subscriptions
dvm360 Newsletterdvm360 Magazine
News
All News
Association
Breaking News
Conference Coverage
Education
Equine
FDA
Law & Ethics
Market Trends
Medical
Politics
Products
Recalls
Regulatory
Digital Media
dvm360 LIVE!™
Expert Interviews
The Vet Blast Podcast
Medical World News
Pet Connections
The Dilemma Live
Vet Perspectives™
Weekly Newscast
dvm360 Insights™
Publications
All Publications
dvm360
Firstline
Supplements
Vetted
Clinical
All Clinical
Anesthesia
Animal Welfare
Behavior
Cardiology
CBD in Pets
Dentistry
Dermatology
Diabetes
Emergency & Critical Care
Endocrinology
Equine Medicine
Exotic Animal Medicine
Feline Medicine
Gastroenterology
Imaging
Infectious Diseases
Integrative Medicine
Nutrition
Oncology
Ophthalmology
Orthopedics
Pain Management
Parasitology
Pharmacy
Surgery
Toxicology
Urology & Nephrology
Virtual Care
Business
All Business
Business & Personal Finance
Hospital Design
Personnel Management
Practice Finances
Practice Operations
Wellbeing & Lifestyle
Continuing Education
Conferences
Conference Listing
Conference Proceedings
Resources
CBD in Pets
CE Requirements by State
Contests
Veterinary Heroes
Partners
Spotlight Series
Team Meeting in a Box
Toolkit
Top Recommended Veterinary Products
Vet to Vet
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Advertisement
By Role
  • Associates
  • Owners
  • Practice Manager
  • Students
  • Technicians
Subscriptions
  • dvm360 Newsletter
  • dvm360 Magazine
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us
  • MJHLS Brand Logo

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences™ and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Big specialty hospital in Utah closes

December 1, 2008
James M. Lewis

Salt Lake City - Just short of six months after it opened, the Utah Pet Center - billed as the nation's largest - closed.

Salt Lake City — Just short of six months after it opened, the Utah Pet Center — a veterinary specialty hospital that was one of the nation's largest in terms of floor space — closed its doors Oct. 24, reportedly with little or no advance notice to many of its 60-plus employees.

The center opened about May 1, occupying 160,000 square feet in a twin-towered building just off Interstate 15 in suburban Murray, Utah, offering several veterinary specialties along with general-practice care, grooming and boarding. It even announced plans to quadruple its staff in the next few years.

Lawrence Kates, a Canadian resident with commercial real-estate interests in several western states, owns the building and was the chief financier of the reported $50 million venture. The reason for the closure wasn't announced, but persons close to the situation cited the weak economy.

A veterinarian and a technician who worked at the center spoke to DVM Newsmagazine about the operation and circumstances surrounding its sudden closing, on condition their names not be used.

The veterinarian, who was still at the center the following week helping with the shutdown, says a few of his colleagues attempted to work out a new sublease agreement to keep the operation going, but failed. "Economic problems" was the reason given for the failure, he says.

Advertisement

At the time of closing, the center had 16 veterinarians, many of them specialists, about 40 technicians and eight receptionists, the veterinarian says, adding that about half of the specialists had moved their families to the area from out of state.

"We had just hired a few new vet techs the day before," the technician recalls.

Some of the DVMs and other employees found jobs with other practices in the area, but many had not as of press time, according to the technician, who now works at another clinic.

After just five hours on the job Friday, Oct. 24, she says she received a message on her cell phone about 1 p.m. from the Utah Pet Center telling her that her pet's surgery the next week was cancelled, with no reason and no reschedule date given.

Uncertain about what was happening, she says she spoke to equally confused co-workers, after which a DVM told her "that by 6 p.m. that day I no longer had a job" because the owner had decided to close the center "for economic reasons."

Initially, workers were told that "we had to have every animal out of Utah Pet Center by 6 p.m. that night," the technician says.

There were many boarded animals, some in the intensive-care unit recovering from surgery or in isolation for illnesses, and people coming to drop off pets for boarding were being turned away, she says.

"Owners (were) asking questions as to why we were closing and where they could take their animals. Some had planes to catch and nowhere to board their animals.

"... All of us had our computer privileges taken away at that point, so clients who needed to pay their invoices couldn't. Who knows if they'll be getting a bill later or what will happen? ... One can only imagine the chaos we went through."

As it turned out, one worker was kept on duty several more days to take care of animals until all were picked up by owners or transferred to other clinics, the technician says.

"The plan is to sell all the equipment to surrounding vet clinics and send back what they can to manufacturers," she adds.

"They did tell the doctors in a professional manner that they no longer had jobs. Then they sent out a memo. These animals, clients and employees didn't deserve this. A month's warning would have been nice and professional," the technician says.

The pet center was the last of several incarnations for the building, which previously housed a miniature golf center, a galleria shopping mall, a community college and a buffet restaurant.

The region continues to be served by another large specialty referral hospital, Veterinary Specialty Center of Utah, and the associated Eye Care for Animals

Related Content:

BusinessPractice Finances
VHMA announces latest class of CVPMs
VHMA announces latest class of CVPMs
New online course for veterinary business at UC Davis
New online course for veterinary business at UC Davis
Paw Prosper acquires brands and becomes one-stop destination for pet aging
Paw Prosper acquires brands and becomes one-stop destination for pet aging

Advertisement

Latest News

Pet Advocacy Network honors outstanding contributions to the pet care community

Traditional and holistic treatments for giardia

ASU trustees approve the creation of a new veterinary school

6 tips for first-time dog owners

View More Latest News
Advertisement