At the Heart of it All | Winter

When I came to Heart + Paw in January 2020, I arrived with a personal appreciation and understanding of the human-animal bond that exists between a pet parent and their pet, an experiential passion for building a strong and viable business, and a mindset of continual improvement and growth.? I immediately immersed myself in learning what makes veterinary medicine unique and special and had the best teachers in our Chief Veterinary Officer and Founder, Dr. George Melillo, and our Vice-President of Operations, Dr. Mary Peacock, to help guide me.?

Quickly, Heart + Paw was faced with many challenges – the COVID pandemic and how to thoughtfully respond to keeping our teams and clients safe while continuing to grow as a company being a major one. ?We also grew tremendously in 2020-2022; scaling from 6 locations pre-pandemic to 3 additions in 2020 at the beginning of the global pandemic, 15 additions in 2021, and 3 additions in 2022.? Growing that quickly is stressful enough but grappling with the impact of a pandemic while doing that really tested our resilience and I am proud to say our team did an amazing job!? Now we are a strong company with a thriving community of 436 pet care professionals and 28 locations in 10 states.

I am equally proud of and grateful for the company-wide adoption of continually building upon the foundation and vision that George and the early team members created and our collective mindset of always improving upon what we have accomplished. ?This mindset coupled with our desire to create a different experience for pets, pet parents, and our team has been instrumental in our success over the last 5 years.

We have made major strides in changing the consumer experience by treating pets and pet parents like family in a way that no one has before us.? From our beginning, Heart + Paw has strived to be technology forward to provide quality care for pets and reduce stress and frustration on the part of our team through the use of our systems like Vetspire and Cubex.? We have embraced new technologies to help enhance our ability to treat patients through additional partnerships with companies like as We See You and Imagyst and we have built our client portal and launched our new app to create a better and more friendly user experience including a booking tool to make scheduling easy.

We have also continued to learn from each new location on how to create spaces that work well for pet parents, pets, and our team as evidenced by our most recent family addition at Lake Hopatcong, NJ.? We have added a dental suite and a comfort room for pet parents saying goodbye to their beloved pets.

Heart + Paw has also changed the experience for our team members; the heart of our company.? From the beginning, George wanted to create a place where people have the ability to work and practice happy, healthy, and successfully.? Over the last 5 years, we have made this our North Star for our teams.? We have implemented development paths such as the Senior Stylist and Style Apprenticeship Pathways which many of our Stylists have taken advantage of, we have partnered with Penn Foster to provide a pathway for our team members interested in becoming a Veterinary Technician and created a scholarship in honor of one of our well-loved CVT's Samantha Rae Hill to help offset the costs of our scholarship recipients pursing their dream of becoming a credentialed veterinary technician.? We have also created a coach-led onboarding program for our new graduate veterinarians; our VITALS program that provides a supportive environment and a collaborative community to our new graduates as they transition from veterinary school to practice.? This program grew from its introduction in 2022 with one new graduate to 6 new graduates in the program this year!?

As part of our commitment to our team members, we also created an annual gathering of our center leaders to provide an in-person opportunity to get to know others leading our pet care centers, build a sense of community, recognize achievements, and provide professional development to empower our leaders to lead and grow.? In addition, we have continually improved our onboarding and training of team members and provided continuing education opportunities for our veterinary care teams and provided a forum for our teams to learn about what is going on within Heart + Paw and ask questions through our town hall meetings.?

In an innovative effort to reward our veterinarians for their critical role in the success of our company, we created our Doctor Rewards long-term incentive program.? Most recently, I am very proud of our collaborative effort that resulted in the implementation of our Incentive Compensation Program.? We are so excited to bring this to life as a way to reward the hard work and dedication of our teams.? Each team member now has a way to earn rewards for their efforts in helping us build a successful practice.? This new program is a testament to?our strong commitment to the continual improvement of the team experience and support of our family members.

Heart + Paw has also reimagined our growth strategy in a way that will allow veterinarians to co-build pet care centers with us. Veterinarians that have a dream of owning a practice now have a solid partner who will provide them freedom in a framework to work and lead autonomously in a supportive environment and a partner to help them make their dream a reality.?

At Heart + Paw, we celebrate our small wins and our major achievements, and I am sincerely appreciative of all we have done not only in 2023 but also in our first 5 years.? As this year comes to a close, it is hard to believe it has been a short 1,944 days since our beginning on September 1, 2018, because we have accomplished so much.? I am incredibly proud to lead and work side by side such exceptional teams and am grateful for each one of our team members for your hard work, resilience, adaptability, and passion for reimagining pet care one pet, one pet parent, one team, and one team member at a time.? Thank you to everyone who helped us get to this pivotal moment in our evolution, a great foundation for the years ahead!? Here is to Heart + Paw’s continued success and growth in 2024 and beyond!

Have a New Year's Resolution to Take Better Care of Yourself??

It's that exciting time of year where we set our sights on becoming the best versions of ourselves. Let's kick off this new year with a fresh approach to our physical and mental well-being. Here are three practical tips to ensure a pawsitively great year for you and your pet's overall health:

1. Embrace Movement and Activity

Take Walks and Explore: Whether you have two legs or four, embrace daily walks or exploratory adventures. Moving your body and taking in fresh air is beneficial for physical health and mood elevation.

Engage in Playtime: Incorporate play into your routine—be it a game of fetch, yoga stretches, or dancing around. Playfulness keeps the mind agile and the body active.

2. Cultivate Mental Wellness

Mindful Moments: Practice moments of mindfulness together. Whether it's quiet time, cuddles, or simply being present, these moments create a sense of calm and deepen the bond between you and your four-legged friend.

Stimulate with Games and Learning: Engage in mental exercises and games to keep minds sharp. Puzzle toys, training sessions, or learning new tricks can stimulate mental agility.

3. Prioritize Rest and Nutrition

Nourish Well: Ensure a balanced diet for both you and your pet. Optimal nutrition supports overall health and keeps energy levels high.

Quality Sleep: Establish a consistent sleep routine. Adequate rest is crucial for rejuvenation and maintaining a healthy mental state.

Remember, as you strive for wellness in this new year, it's not just about the destination but also the journey. Embrace these tips, cherish each moment, and let this year be a journey of growth and well-being for both you and your pet!

Heart + Paw - Lake Hopatcong Team Hosts?dvm360??for Dental CE Video

December 15 was a truly golden day at Heart + Paw - Lake Hopatcong in New Jersey as we had the pleasure of hosting our friends from?dvm360?! Dentistry is an important aspect of veterinary care, and our teams are committed to helping pets live their entire lives with a full set of teeth!

Our star of the day, the fabulous Teddi, took center stage for a routine dental cleaning as Heart + Paw showcased our whole team approach to exceptional patient care that puts pets and their parents first. It was a joy to have?dvm360??capture the behind-the-scenes magic, highlighting the importance of pet dental health, patient experience and safety in our centers:

? Our focus on low-stress handling makes going to the dentist as pleasurable an experience as possible for pets.

? Every center has state-of-the-profession equipment, like high-speed dental units and digital dental radiography, allowing our veterinarians to make thorough assessments and perform extractions when necessary.

? All care is delivered to minimize any pain, using pain medications and local anesthetic blocks, for faster, more comfortable recoveries.

It was evident that our Lake Hopatcong was really bringing our values to life at their center: ?

• Collaborative?- The team fully embraced and jumped at the chance to work with the Talent Acquisition team to bring this videotaping to fruition.
• Attentive -?From the holiday decorations to witnessing first-hand the special touches they do to make pets and pet parents feel welcome, safe, comfortable, and as stress free as possible - this team is attentive to details!??
• Trusting -?Many of the team members who participated that day were shy about wanting to be on camera but once the day started, stars were born,?and they quickly trusted the process and even had fun!?
• Empathetic -?Witnessing how this team supports each other, clients and patients, and how they cheered on their teammates was really touching.? They have a lot of empathy for each other and for the pets and pet patients they serve.
• Transparent - The team was transparent about having the jitters and showed complete vulnerability with the?dvm360??crew that was videotaping and their Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Adam Christman who hosted the videotaping and interviewed team members.

Dental Month is just around the corner! Brush up on your skills with the upcoming CE webinar hosted by?dvm360??featuring Teddi and the amazing team at Heart + Paw - Lake Hopatcong. Thank you to Teddi,?dvm360??and the Heart + Paw team members that made this special day possible!?

Heart + Paw Receives Significant Strategic Growth Investment from Whistler Capital Partners

Heart + Paw is excited to kick off 2024 by sharing the news of a substantial strategic growth investment from our new partner, Whistler Capital Partners LLC. This infusion of support is set to propel and sustain our ongoing expansion initiatives, underscoring our dedication to prioritizing the happiness and health of pets, their parents, and our team which is the foundation of our mission, to become the chosen destination for pet care by providing best-in-class care in every community we serve. We aim to restore the health of the veterinary profession one patient, one client, and one team member at a time. At Heart + Paw, you count for more. We value your life, health, and happiness, and strive to create a place where you can practice medicine happy, healthy, and successfully. Read the article here.

Heart + Paw Awards 2023 Samantha Rae Hill Scholarships

Heart + Paw is thrilled to announce and congratulate our outstanding team members, Gabrielle Howarth, Miecree Cannon, and David Mills, for being awarded the 2023 Samantha Rae Hill Scholarship! The Samantha Rae Hill Scholarship Fund offers a full scholarship to Heart + Paw team members aspiring to continue their veterinary medical education and become a credentialed Veterinary Technician. In partnership with?Penn Foster?College, Heart + Paw established the Samantha Rae Hill Scholarship Fund, a tribute to our beloved team member and Certified Veterinary Technician, Samantha Rae Hill, who tragically passed away in 2022. Samantha's passion for pets, her love for veterinary medicine, and her connection with her Heart + Paw family made her truly special to everyone who had the privilege of knowing her.?Heart + Paw is deeply honored to offer this scholarship as a means of helping others pursue their passion for veterinary medicine and a developmental path for veterinary team members to grow as health care providers for pets and their parents. Congratulations once again to Gabrielle Howarth, Miecree Cannon, and David Mills on this well-deserved recognition. We can't wait to see the incredible impact you'll make on the world of veterinary care!

Heart + Paw Says Goodbye to Apache Trail Animal Hospital and Wyoming Veterinary Clinic Founders

This year, Heart + Paw said goodbye to two of our centers' founding doctors - Dr. Karen Fox of Apache Trail Animal Hospital and Dr. Joe Grossi and long-time veterinary technician Jean Klank-Scherck; both of Wyoming Veterinary Clinic.? On August 29, our Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr. George Melillo and Director of Operations, Dr. Andrew Koch hosted a celebratory dinner for Dr. Grossi and Jean Klank-Scherck, RVT to thank them for their years of service and dedication to the team at Wyoming and building the practice into a successful center.?

On September 28, Chief Executive Officer, Dave Lasus and Director of Operations, Dr. Julie Sanders joined with the Apache Trail Animal Hospital team and clients to celebrate the retirement of the founder and previous owner of the hospital, our Partner Doctor, Karen Fox.?

Heart + Paw is grateful to both of these visionary founders of their respective practices and for the trust they placed in us to build upon their legacies for each center's future.? We wish Dr. Fox, Dr. Grossi, and Jean?many happy years of retirement!

On the Road with Heart + Paw

Fall conferences and career fairs kept our Talent Acquisition team busy! In August, our?journey took us to the Keystone Veterinary Conference in Hershey, PA, where we had the opportunity to share what makes Heart + Paw special, connect with fellow professionals, visit with our Heart + Paw family, and enjoy the sweetest place on earth.

We then headed to Fetch Coastal in Atlantic City, NJ, New England Veterinary Conference in Portland, ME, Connecticut VMA Veterinary Conference in Mystic, CT, Three Rivers Veterinary Symposium in Pittsburgh, DVMA Winter Conference in Dover, DE, NY Vet in Manhattan, NY, and the RIVMA Veterinary Conference in Newport, RI.??

Our quest to inspire didn't stop there. We were absolutely thrilled to extend a warm welcome to the bright minds entering the veterinary nursing program at?Harcum College?in Bryn Mawr, PA and the NOVA veterinary technology program in Sterling, VA.??The Heart + Paw team had so much fun sharing experiences, wisdom, and a passion for providing the best care to pets and pet parents.?

But that’s not all! We also had the pleasure of meeting future veterinarians at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine?in Blacksburg, VA, Tuskegee College of Veterinary Medicine in Tuskegee, AL, and NC State College of Veterinary Medicine in Raleigh, NC, in addition to sponsoring the Penn Vet Orientation Picnic for the Class of 2027.? We also traveled to Long Island University in Post, NY, Auburn University in Auburn, AL, Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, TN, and University of Tennessee in Knoxville, TN, Penn Vet in Philadelphia, PA, Tufts University in Boston, MA, and Cornell University in Ithaca, NY.? The enthusiasm and dedication were truly inspiring, reminding us why we are so passionate about what we do every day!