04/10/2023
Dr. Rick Bailey obtained a BS in Animal Science at the University of Kentucky, He was working on a Master’s degree in 1976 when he was accepted to Auburn University School of Veterinary Medicine. In March 1980, he, Alice and their 7 month old daughter, Allison, moved back home when he was offered an internship with Dr. Hayden and Dr. Boyd in Maysville, Ky. Upon Dr. Bailey’s graduation in June, Hayden and Boyd established a satellite office in West Union, Ohio in a small building beside the house the Bailey family moved into. The name of that clinic was Adams Co. Veterinary Service.
Dr. Bailey practiced out of that location on Panhandle Ave., two doors down from Harsha Hardware, for 7 years. The house was demolished after a fire in March 1987 and a garage was built in it’s place. But the office building is still standing.
The Bailey family, which now included a son, Kenton, moved into a rental house 1/4 mile down the road. They purchased the house, and in August 1987 they started a business in the lower level of their home, where they remain today.
Dr. Bailey and Alice will be retiring and closing the doors of Bailey Animal Hospital. The last day in the office is April 27, 2023. If you are a current client and your pet(s) need to be seen before then, call soon during regular hours to schedule an appointment as they are filling up quickly. If you need refills on flea and tick products or heartworm prevention, also call soon. We mailed notices to current clients over a month ago, but many have been returned for various reasons.
Personal note from Rick and Alice: After caring for thousands of pets and farm animals over 43 years, this has been a most difficult decision. In 1980 we weren’t convinced we wanted to live in Adams Co. for long, (especially Alice). But the warm welcome from neighbors and clients soon endeared us to the area. We have had the honor of caring for animals of three generations of several families, and a few fourth. A very great number of you have become more like close friends and family than clients, even though we may only see you in our office (or Walmart). We had no idea how to run a business and still have little business sense! But God has provided us with wonderful people who have supported and encouraged us through the years. There’s no other place we would rather be. Words can’t express our gratitude for your support and friendship. We truly wish we could continue another 40 years. But it’s time. May God bless you and your family, especially the furry ones. We will dearly miss you.
