Since she could remember, Elizabeth Lauron always loved interacting with animals. But she says her husband, Neal, was the key to transforming this passion into a career.
Lauron is now a partner and veterinarian of Concord Chapel Animal Hospital and treats about 9,000 animals each year at the more than 2,000-square-foot facility, a former United Methodist Church, on London-Groveport Road in Grove City.
“I have always loved what I do,” Lauron says. “(Being a) veterinarian was what I was born to do as a career.”
Her family, on the other hand, didn’t support Lauron’s ambitions at first. While they owned cats and some other animals during her childhood, Lauron’s family thought she should become a teacher.
“I didn’t have the confidence to pursue veterinary school initially or the support from family,” she says.
Enter Neal.
The two met at Victor Valley Daily Press, a California newspaper where Neal worked as a photographer, and Lauron worked as a secretary in the advertising department as a summer job in her last year of college, while pursuing her teaching degree. Neal has a passion for photography and photojournalism.
He grew up in the Philippines, where dogs were owned for utilitarian purposes such as security and food (of which Neal’s family didn’t participate in, he says) and, therefore, wasn’t much of an animal person before meeting his wife.
After they married in 1990, Neal supported his wife’s passion for animals so much that the couple owned five dogs and three cats in their 900-square-foot home in Las Vegas and boarded a horse at a nearby facility.
"I have always loved what I do. (Being a) veterinarian was what I was born to do as a career.”
The couple brought all those dogs with them on road trips to visit family in California. During one such trip, Neal strongly encouraged Lauron to pursue her dream of becoming a veterinarian. Her husband’s encouragement and support was enough for Lauron to take pre-requisite courses for veterinary school at a local community college in Nevada.
“Teaching wasn’t a bad career,” she says. “(But) I didn’t enjoy it like I do with veterinary medicine.”
Nevada didn’t have any veterinary schools at the time, so Lauron applied and was accepted to The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. OSU’s program was one of her leading choices because it was inexpensive and among the top schools for small animal medicine.
Neal made the transition to Ohio with his wife as a freelance photographer for The Columbus Dispatch in 1994. His career influenced their decision to live in Grove City because it was close to Interstate 71, which made it more feasible for Neal to take on freelance opportunities in other Ohio cities such as Cincinnati.
After Lauron graduated from OSU’s veterinary college in 1998, she and Neal almost moved down to Texas for one of Neal’s job prospects, but that changed after the Dispatch offered him a full-time position.
“We made a decision to stay in Grove City and never left,” Lauron says. “We have always loved Grove City.”
After working as staff veterinarian for five years, Lauron purchased her practice, Broadway Veterinary Hospital, in 2003. She then relocated her practice to the former Concord United Methodist Church four years later with her practice partner, Gale Kerr.
Grove City wasn’t just the perfect place for her business, it was also ideal for raising a family, according to Lauron.
The Lauron family. Humans, left to right; Daniel, Neal, Elizabeth and Zachary. Animals, left to right; Miles, Reggie, Rico, Pete, Ranger Joe (now deceased), Benny (on floor), Thomas and Katniss
Their oldest son, Daniel, is a full-time OSU student studying criminology and criminal justice. Daniel also serves in the National Guard and was among those deployed to assist with the protests in downtown Columbus that started in late May.
Their son, Zachary, graduated from Grove City Christian School in May and will follow his mother’s footsteps by attending the University of Findlay to study animal sciences. He was among other high school seniors that couldn’t have the typical graduation ceremony because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The crisis, along with local, state and federal government orders and recommendations, affected operations at Lauron’s clinic. In March, for instance, she postponed elective surgeries, pushed back wellness and vaccine appointments and required pet owners to wait in their vehicle, while staff take their pets inside – except for euthanasia appointments.
“It was hard at first but my employees have been really good about taking on the changes that we have to bring on in a fast manner,” she says.
Due to stay-at-home orders in Ohio and across the nation, there has been a spike in animal adoptions, according to local and national reports.
Lauron says first-time pet owners should take advantage of the extra time at home and give more attention to their new furry friends. The downside is there’s no face-to-face interaction with their veterinarians.
The Laurons have owned many animals including rescue dogs and cats. They currently own two English bulldogs, Reggie and Miles, and five cats, Benny, Tiberius, Rico, Katniss and Pete.
Based on Lauron’s history, we’re sure the furry family will continue to grow.
Brandon Klein is an editor. Feedback welcome at bklein@cityscenemediagroup.com.
