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After 35 years in Logansport, Dr. James Shell is passing the Shell Animal Clinic on to a new veterinarian, Dr. Andrew Bickett.

They closed the sale of the clinic the second week of December, and this past week has been one of transition. The change of hands comes after a long search by both men for the right fit.

My standards were high as I had to find someone who shared my deep love and appreciation for animals, as well as someone who has the medical skills to keep the clinic moving forward in the ever-evolving field of veterinary medicine and surgery, Shell stated in a letter he sent out to his clients.

I just felt fortunate to find someone like him to come in and take over, he said.

Bickett said he was searching for a place with the right veterinarian philosophy, standard of care and team, as well as the right community and Logansport proved right for him.

I like the kind of small town atmosphere, Bickett said.

Bickett is originally from Plano, Illinois, and hed been looking to buy a clinic that would put him closer to home than he was in central Kansas, where he worked in a small clinic after graduating from University of Illinois with his Doctorate in veterinarian medicine.

Hed looked at some in bigger cities, but they didnt seem right, he said. He wanted a place where he could get to know the community and his clients.

Bickett doesnt plan any major changes to the clinic, just an expansion of some services.

I do see exotic animals, which is something Dr. Shell didnt do a lot of, he said. That means hell take care of rabbits, snakes and hedgehogs, as well as other animals. Exotic is basically anything that isnt a cat, dog or farm animal, he said.

The clinics name will remain the same, at least for a while, and the staff will stay on. Bickett plans to update some of the equipment, but it wont be noticeable to most people, he said.

The familiar face of Archie lounging about the office will also remain the same. I inherited the cat, he said.

When Bickett first developed an interest in veterinarian medicine, it was my first dog, as it was for a lot of kids, he said. The dog had medical problems that required a lot of attention, and he regularly saw how vets did things and worked, he said.

For Shell, the call to this vocation came from growing up on a small farm and having small animals, and being in FFA and 4-H. His sister also worked for the local veterinarians office in high school and stayed to retirement, so that influenced him as well, he said.

He came to Logansport from his native Michigan in a similar situation as Bickett. He took over the clinic because it seemed like the proper fit.

During his 35 years here, hes seen clients for years and sometimes through multiple pets, and hell miss them and those working at the clinic.

Itll be a change for me, thats for sure, he said.

Shell plans to stay in Logansport, although he and his wife, Carolyn, will go to Arizona for winters and stay in their cottage at Winona Lake often. Hell be around to help at the clinic or consult with Bickett if necessary, but Shell believes that, at 70 years old, his days as a vet are over and Bickett is good for the clinic.

I dont think hes going to need my help much, Shell said.

See the original post here:
After 35 years, Shell Animal Clinic changes hands | Business - pharostribune.com

This entry was posted on December 28, 2019 at 9:46 am and is filed under Veterinary Medicine. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |