Hampshire Animal Hospital began as a dairy barn, built in 1900 with concrete blocks produced right here in Hampshire. Our current parking lot was the cow yard.
In the 1960’s, the barn became a car wash. When the car wash closed in the late 1960’s, the building sat vacant for many years. Kids in 4-H used the building and the parking lot, as part of Hampshire’s Old-Fashioned Days, to show off their 4-H projects and to get in some practice in preparation for the Kane County Fair. Dr. Thomas Getzelman remembers showing steer in what was originally the cow yard.
Dr. Getzelman went off to school at Illinois State University for three years and then graduated four years later from University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine in 1977.
After practicing in Joliet for a few years after graduation, Dr. Getzelman returned to Hampshire. He bought the old barn in the fall of 1986 and worked out of his car while beginning renovations to the building. The opening of Hampshire Animal Hospital occurred the following February. The practice included one exam room, one surgery room and a reception area.
Renovations continued. The official open house in August of 1988, coinciding with Hampshire’s annual Coon Creek County Days, welcomed visitors to the hospital, now with two exam rooms, pharmacy and treatment areas, a surgery room, an office and a reception area.
Behind every great man there is a great woman. Dr. Getzelman’s wife noticed a new strip mall being built on Rt. 72 in Gilberts and suggested it might be a more convenient location for clients living further to the east. As every smart man does, he took his wife’s advice and opened Gilberts Animal Clinic at its current location in Gilberts in December of 1992.
Gilberts Animal Clinic opened with one exam room, a treatment room, an office and a reception area. As the practice grew, two more exam rooms and an X-ray and surgery suite were added.
Dr. Katie Stover announced to her parents when she was five years old she was going to be a vet when she grew up. After receiving her undergraduate degree from University of Illinois, she spent the summer with Dr. Getzelman at Hampshire Animal Hospital and Gilberts Animal Clinic.
After graduating from University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine in 2012, she practiced at two other area animal hospitals before returning to where it began. She purchased the practice from Dr. Getzelman in November of 2016.
An addition to the back of the original barn in Hampshire was completed in October of 2017. It houses offices for the doctors and practice manager and includes a full kitchen and large room for team meetings.
Renovations in the original hospital were completed in 2018, including the addition of another exam room, an in-house laboratory, and updated décor.
Hampshire Animal Hospital and Gilberts Animal Clinic began with one doctor and a small support staff. Today, it employs 4 full-time doctors, 1 part-time doctor, a practice manager, and a great team of 16 veterinary technicians and receptionists.
Our vision for the future includes many more exciting things as we dedicate ourselves to delivering the very best customer service to our clients and outstanding care to our patients. We hope you and your pets will become part of our story.