hood or kittenhood to adulthood—but I also love when the entire familycomes in for puppy visits and the kids are so interested in the careof their new family member. The transition that occurs in that familyfrom just ‘getting a dog or cat’ to that animal becoming so importantto them is very rewarding.”The flip side of that reward, of course, comes when an animalbecomes incurably ill. “I truly enjoy being a veterinarian, and I will goto great lengths to find an answer. I will talk to other specialty clinics,universities, read research studies, try new meds—I don’t give upvery easily. However, I try very hard to always be honest with ownersif there is nothing left to do. That’s the hard part,” she continued, witha more somber tone. “It’s already really upsetting to me when I can’tsolve a problem—but when that important family member gets sickwith something that I can’t cure, and the kids are so upset, it’s evenharder.”Overall, though, she said, “If I can have kids and animals together,I’m in heaven!”One Big Happy FamilyIt seems safe to say, then, that <strong>Beth</strong>’s own home provides abig slice of heaven. The household she shares with her husbandTyler (whom she met during her freshman year in college) is not onlyoccupied by the two of them and their son Carson, but also by amini-menagerie of furry family members—and the fact that she trulyconsiders them family members is made obvious by the way she talksabout them. “I have two cats, Oliver and Newton, and a dog namedViolet. Oliver was given to me by a friend in college, and honestly heis the best cat ever. He has lived with tons of other cats, moved ahundred times, seen a few too many keg parties, and just loves everyday. Newton is my husband’s cat. He loves Tyler, but pretty muchonly tolerates me. However, he is hilarious and goes in the basementand talks to his imaginary friends all the time. He and Oliver are bestfriends. Violet is my dog, and she was my first baby. She loves towalk, be groomed, or just be petted. She comes to work with me aton—she’s great to take anywhere.”To be fair, though, there’s really no point in <strong>Beth</strong> trying to hideher love for cold-nosed souls—it’s obvious to most of her veterinaryclients the second they meet her. “I have a pretty high-pitched babyvoice when I talk to most people’s pets,” she admitted, smiling.Similarly, she’s pretty transparent about the importance of her familyin her eyes. “I love big family dinners, going to visit my in-laws onChristmas Eve, going to my parents’ farm for July 4th, never missingmy granddaddy’s birthday, and kissing my son and husband as muchas possible!”Needless to say, being one of the furrier members of <strong>Beth</strong>’sfamily is hardly—pardon the pun—a dog’s life. But even those furballswho are merely on her list of patients can count themselves privilegedto be in her care—even though <strong>Beth</strong> considers herself the fortunateone. “I have a great job which I love—it’s never boring, and alwayschallenging. I feel fulfilled most days. I am lucky.” ■44 <strong>HERLIFE</strong>MAGAZINE.COM
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