PI Animal Clinic celebrates employee’s 20th anniversary
Debbe Coleman decided to leave her job as an underwriter for an insurance company to be a stay-at-home mom.
“It wasn’t long before I was pretty bored, just waiting for my daughter to get home from school to have someone to talk to,” she said.
Dr. Robert Miller, owner of Pine Island Animal Clinic, had received notice from his assistant but had not found anyone to replace her. He knew Debbe as their children attended school together. He asked if she could possibly help out for a while until he found a suitable assistant.
“I told Dr. Miller I’d be happy to help out. My ‘temporary’ job started on Sept. 21, 1991 and the rest, as they say, is history,” Coleman recalls.
Coleman had two days of training by the departing veterinary assistant and then learned more about the position by reading manuals and watching Dr. Miller work with the animals.
“What is important is that both the pet and the owner have a good experience when they come to the clinic,” she said. “The animals can be very frightened or nervous when they come in but they respond to love and soothing attention.”
When asked if she’s ever been bitten by one of the patients, she admitted, “I’ve been bitten only once by a dog but quite often by cats. One was a feral cat who turned out to have rabies so I had to go through that treatment, which was no fun.”
At a surprise 20th anniversary party hosted by current clinic owner Dr. Kendra Techeira and her husband Trevor, Coleman was presented with a commemorative glass piece of art acknowledging her years of service.
“I can’t say enough about how invaluable Debbe is to our clinic,” Dr. Techiera said. “She is a very genuine person and our clients think she is an absolute gem. She loves her job, the clients and the animals and that is why so many of our clients have been with us as long as she has.”
As for Coleman, she is enjoying the new owners of the clinic who took over when Dr. Miller retired last year. “I was working about 49 hours a week,” she notes. “Dr. Techeira has added staff and another veterinarian, so now I’m able to take some afternoons off. But I’m not planning on retiring any time soon!”
Pine Island Animal Clinic is at 5100 Doug Taylor Circle in the industrial park. For appointments or emergency treatment, call 283-1244.