Longtime veterinarian retiring this week
A longtime local veterinarian is hanging up his stethoscope. Dr. Les stone of Northgate Veterinary Hospital and his wife JoAnn are retiring at the end of this week after 45 years as a veterinarian and spending 44 years in Idaho Falls.
“The reason to retire is because I’m old, really old. I’ll be 70 this year. I told JoAnn I would never work past 70 on it, so it’s time to quit,” says Dr. Stone.
They say they’re excited about retirement but will miss helping animals in the community.
“This is sort of a bittersweet of a deal here. The clients aren’t the only ones that are crying, we end up crying on it too.”
“Anxious to have the free time and stuff but we’ll miss coming in here, all of the clients that have become friends, all of the animals that re like our own, but it’s time to do it,” says JoAnn Stone.
Clients that have been taking their pets to Dr. Stone for decades came in with their pets for emotional goodbyes.
“We were out of town and we had a little old mutt dog that had been over medicated and we didn’t know that. Our neighbor was caring for him and she called me and said your dog is sick, I don’t know what’s wrong with him, I’m going to take him to my vet, dr. Stone. And she brought him here and he took care of him, kept him overnight and I just fell in love with him after that. That was it,” says Pamela Chase, a 20-year client.
“Dr. Stone always does exactly what is needed but not over. He doesn’t ever go overboard and is so compassionate. We had one sick dog that’s 14 years old and dr. Stone took care of that dog through so many illnesses and everything and always compassionate,” says Stephonie Casanova, a 40-year client.
Although the clients will miss them they say they’re happy about this next chapter.
“You know the time has come and it’s another door you have to close and go into the next room,” says Dr. Stone.
Dr. Stone says a couple will be taking the business. He says prices will remain the same and he encourages people to take their pets there.
