August 21, 2013

Ground broken for new vet clinic

By Olivia Sundeen    
Farmer Intern

“No matter what is going on in this hectic place, when you come home your dog still wants to be fed at the same time.”
-Dr. Bruce Pedersen
 
In this life, people come and go. The economy fluctuates. Gas prices go up and down. And the weather is as unpredictable as the groundhog seeing his shadow.
But amidst all of this, local Watford City Veterinarian Dr. Bruce Pedersen feels animals bring stabilization to this wacky world.
“In this rapidly changing environment,” stated Dr. Pedersen, “animals are the stabilizing force.”
That is why, through the generosity of the Watford City Livestock Association, Dr. Pedersen is excited about the groundbreaking of the new Watford City Veterinary Clinic. The clinic will be 30,000 sq. feet and is located next to the livestock association’s scale house. It will provide full service to mixed animals.  
In 1967, Dr. Robert Nelson started the veterinary clinic in Watford City. To Pedersen and many others, Nelson is a local icon who successfully started an animal practice in this community and upheld it for 45 years.
“Dr. Nelson had great philosophies and provided outstanding services to this area,” stated Pedersen. “It is our hope to expand these services.”
According to Pedersen, a new vet clinic is necessary because they have outgrown their current place.
Dr. Pedersen has been in the area for about 14 months. According to Pedersen, with the rapid growth in the city comes the expanding need for veterinary services.
“I’m terrified of the building process,” stated Pedersen.
“However,  we need this. We have a great team. I am just excited to make the transition.”
New to Pedersen’s team is Dr. Seth Nienhueser. Dr. Pedersen is excited to have Nienhusser aboard and hopes to one day add one more vet to his team.
“We want this clinic to be a hybrid between a museum, university and a clinic,” stated Pedersen. “We want to be able to give back to the community.”
Currently, the groundbreaking and building process is a little behind due to the nature of the Bakken. But the clinic is expected to be finished sometime between January and March.
The new clinic will provide a doggy day care, a form of shelter services, indoor large animal and equine services, an expanded retail section and a conference room for classes, among other things.
“Our goal is to provide care and services at this clinic that would be equal to or exceed anywhere in the country,” stated Pedersen.
Although the clinic’s phone hasn’t quit ringing yet, Dr. Pedersen feels so grateful to have cases, especially ones that are so diverse.
“We want to play a key role in the community,” stated Pedersen. “We want to preserve that special bond, and hope our new facility will help us maintain that.”
Pedersen and his team would like to express their gratitude to the Livestock Association and the community.
“We want this clinic to be the Mayo Clinic of veterinary medicine,” stated Pedersen.
 

WATFORD CITY WEATHER