Family owned Knowles Animal Clinic celebrates 100 years
MIAMI - A well known animal clinic and pet hospital in Miami is now 100 years old.
If you have a sick pet or an animal emergency chances are you know of Knowles Animal Clinic. A pillar in Miami-Dade County, they've served more than 100-thousand animals and have saved countless lives.
"It's been unbelievable. I can't believe it's been that long because it's a day-by-day thing. Next thing you know you turn around and it's been 20 years then it's 25 years," said Dr. David Wise who has helped run VCA Knowles Animal Hospital for the past 50 years.
Dr. Wise married into the practice. His wife's grandfather started taking care of sick pets in a barn in Allapattah back in 1923.
Jane Ann Knowles Wise worked at the clinic and when her husband graduated from veterinarian school he worked for her father.
"We were the first to have in-house labs. We were the first to have digital radiographs. We were the first to have everything there was a first for," said Dr. Wise.
The clinic continued to grow and with Dr. Knowles and Dr. Wise, became a place South Florida depended on.
"We had a sleepy little place and now it's going 24 hours a day. When there's a hurricane, oftentimes we're the only clinic open and everybody starts sending their animals here. During Andrew we had 250 animals in this building," said Dr. Wise.
If you ask the staff they will tell you it's not always easy taking care of sick pets but many have worked there for decades.
"I'm here 38 years in this country and 36 here. So all my life, all my life at Knowles," said Patricia Gonzalez.
The staff at Knowles has spent their lives taking care of animals. South Florida families trust them with their most beloved family members' lives.
"It's nice to be known that way. In the past it's been said, 'If all else fails go to Knowles,' And that didn't just happen. That came about over the years that we were always here through thick and thin, day and night, weekends, holidays," said Dr. Wise.
