Caring for Vashon’s Furry Residents: Fair Isle Animal Clinic

You don’t truly understand the heart of a small town until you’ve stepped into its veterinary clinic. On Vashon, that place is Fair Isle Animal Clinic. Quietly nestled just off Vashon Highway, this longstanding practice is more than a place to get your cat vaccinated or your dog’s teeth cleaned. It’s part of the Island’s living memory. My own family has been walking through Fair Isle’s doors for decades. My grandmother brought her cats and dogs here. My mom did too. I even brought my first horse, Cheyenne, to their equine vet back in the late 1980s, when they still handled large animals and sometimes made muddy barn calls.

A Personal Journey Back to the Exam Room

In the summer of 2024, I returned to something I hadn’t done in twenty years. I set aside the metrics and meetings of tech life and jumped back into vet assisting, this time at Fair Isle. I had worked for equine and small animal vets in my early years, but life, kids, and a career in SEO pulled me away. So, stepping back into scrubs wasn’t just a job. It was a reset. And thankfully, Fair Isle welcomed me with patience and kindness while I shook the dust off my memory.

Dr. Dana, now the owner of the clinic, leads with both warmth and determination. She took over the practice after years of working with the previous owners and has continued to honor its community-first ethos. She would love to bring equine care back someday, which makes my horse-loving heart hopeful. For now, Fair Isle focuses on dogs and cats, and offers a full menu of services from wellness exams to surgeries.

Dr. Allen, Dr. Don, Dr. Monica, and Dr. Hartman (who fills in on Fridays) each bring their own style to care. Dr. Monica is thoughtful and steady. Dr. Allen is always booked, which tells you a lot. Dr. Don’s calm presence puts pets and humans at ease. Dr. Hartman brings just enough dry humor to balance out a hectic Friday schedule. Together, they make a team you can trust, even when your dog decides to be dramatic about nail trims.

Behind the scenes, the real magic happens. Gwen and David are masterful vet techs who can draw blood, calm a squirmy dog, and run diagnostics without breaking a sweat. Christian has worked there for years and knows the rhythms of the place like the back of his hand. Erin, at the front desk, juggles phone calls, billing, and client questions with both speed and a smile. Joking with her became one of my favorite parts of each shift.

Small Clinic, Big Responsibility

Fair Isle is busy. Really busy. As the only in-person vet clinic on the Island, they field more calls and emails than any one clinic should. If your pet has a serious emergency, absolutely call them. But if it’s something less urgent, you’ll likely be referred to Summit Vets or other off-island partners. It’s not ideal, but it’s the reality of running a small clinic on a big-hearted island.

That said, what Fair Isle offers can’t be easily found in most veterinary chains. They treat you like you matter. Your animal isn’t just a file number or a rushed fifteen-minute consult. They take the time to explain, to listen, and to care.

Fair Isle also partners with VIPP to offer microchipping, and their wellness services span everything from senior pet care to dental work. They’ve modernized just enough without letting go of the charm that makes them feel like home. You won’t find an app or a fancy online portal, but you’ll find a vet who remembers your dog’s name and knows your cat is a scratcher.

Working there reminded me how much I love this kind of work. It’s messy and loud and unpredictable. It requires fast thinking, compassion, and strong coffee. But it also reminded me that meaningful work doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes, it looks like holding a nervous puppy while it gets its first vaccine. Sometimes, it’s laughing with Gwen while cleaning up after a very unbothered orange tabby. Sometimes, it’s realizing that you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be, even if it’s not where you thought you’d end up.

Fair Isle Animal Clinic may not have all the bells and whistles of a big-city veterinary hospital. But what it has—deep roots, kind people, and a true connection to the community—is worth more than any waiting room flat screen or app-based scheduling system. They’ve been part of Vashon’s story for decades. And if you ask me, that’s exactly the kind of place you want caring for your furry family.


Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.