Our First 25+ Years

 
Julie Krasne & Anne Carroll
Building on the North Common
Moving in
New Building Renovation
Click for Halloween 2000-present

Humble Beginnings:

 

1990:  A graduate of Kansas State Veterinary College and native of the Midwest, Dr Julie Krasne opened the Chelsea Animal Hospital on the North Common in Chelsea in 1990. With one part time staff assistant, she offered quality small animal surgical and medical care, and established a reputation for using nutrition and preventative care as the foundation for pet’s health.

A Change of Ownership:

 

1998:  In 1998, Dr Krasne sold the practice to it’s current owner, Dr Anne Carroll, who along with her husband had been seeking just the right spot to settle down in Vermont.  While driving through the state they happened upon Chelsea and fell in love at first sight.  Over the next 4 years the practice continued to grow and the staff expanded to 5 staff members and a second part time doctor.

A New Location:

 

2002:  Finding our space increasingly too small, we left with fond memories of our original building and its wonderful views onto the common, and moved a few blocks away into our current location.   It was an old New England home with a layout that was perfect for a hospital setting needing only minor renovations.  The upstairs provided nursery space for Dr Carroll’s new baby, born just months before opening in the spring of 2003. This new home continued the warm, non-clinical feel that Dr Krasne had created in the original space with its wood floors and cabinetry but now with more room for our clients and patients.

An Alternative Choice:

 

2001:  As Dr Carroll’s practice experience grew, so did her interest in finding ways to help animals beyond the limits of conventional medicine.  A 2000 Vermont Veterinary Medical Association continuing education meeting opened doors to a number of alternative medicine practices and she began educational pursuits in nutrition, Chinese Medicine and acupuncture.  After completing her certification in 2001, she added acupuncture to the services offered at the hospital.

Dr Black Joins:

 

2007:  Clients liked seeing their animals respond to alternative medicine while using fewer drugs in the long term and achieving better results.  Meanwhile, continued growth made our needs change from a part time second doctor to full time.  We were thrilled to be able to hire Dr Betty Jo Black from Colorado who was certified in classical veterinary homeopathy.   She helped expand the alternative options that could benefit our patients.

What the future holds:

 

2015:  Our 25th anniversary has led to the creation of a new look with new ideas.  Our new logo was designed by South Royalton artist Katie Rundie. 

Halloween:

 

2000-Present:  Chelsea Animal Hospital and Halloween are synonymous here in town. As a child, Halloween was always one of Dr Carroll’s favorite holidays, and as an adult she looked forward to decorating her home for trick-or-treaters each year. Since her rural home in Vermont did not have any visitors for Halloween, she decided to open the hospital Halloween night for tricks and treats.  For most, a bowl of candy on the porch would suffice, but both Dr Carroll and her staff thought a little more haunting would be fun since they had the space... and so the annual tradition was born.  Each year seemed to get bigger by adding new ideas and props. When the hospital moved off the common into the larger building, set up and clean up inside became a much more daunting task given that the hospital needed to be operational for business the days around Halloween. The idea for an outdoor CarnEVIL came about in 2008, where regular carnival games were slightly adjusted for a Halloween theme – eyeballs tossed into cups, wheels of chance decorated with ghosts and bats, brains tossed into zombies mouths.  Over the years, new games have been added and the CarnEVIL has grown bigger with more tents and games, and 2012 saw the addition of a “big top” tent. 

A Chelsea Animal Hospital brochure from Dr. Julie Krasne’s 1 year anniversary open house. 

A painting of the old building  which hangs above our mantle by Chelsea artist Sylvia Kennedy.

Click for Halloween 2000-present

Click for Halloween 2000-present

A Celebration:

 

2015:  On September 25th, in celebration of our 25th anniversary, the entire staff served free pizza at the Chelsea Farmers Market Annual Harvest Festival.  It was a beautiful fall day and pizzas were baked in a wood fired oven with the help of Alyson Kokernot from Brookside Bakery.  There were tables for eating and hanging out, live music, farmers market vendors and activities and several prize raffles.  

Dr Basham Joins:

 

2016:  As the demand for alternative veterinary medicine grows, so did our need for more doctors.  In the summer, we were extremely fortunate to hire Dr. Emma Basham.   A graduate from UVM and Tufts, she brought a passion for alternative medicine and training in both acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine to the practice.

An Acknowledgement:

 

2015:  After years of hard work to be the best, the Chelsea Animal Hospital is recognized by the White River Valley Chamber of Commerce for outstanding service in serving animals and their owners. 

Getting The Word Out:

 

2014:  In an attempt to educate all pet owners about the benefits of alternative veterinary medicine, Dr. Carroll begins her “new career” as the author of the quarterly column “Alternatively Speaking” in 4 Legs and a Tail magazine.  Look for the latest edition or read archived articles here.