SPCA Tampa Bay hires manager for new veterinary center

Experienced veterinary clinic manager Lane Simpson will oversee St. Petersburg center, which will include a full-service veterinary hospital and spay and neuter clinic

LARGO, Fla. (April 29, 2016) – SPCA Tampa Bay has taken another key step toward opening a veterinary center in St. Petersburg with the hiring of Lane Simpson as hospital manager. Simpson will oversee the operations of the new veterinary center, which will include a full-service veterinary hospital and spay and neuter clinic, when it opens later this summer, while also managing SPCA Tampa Bay’s Wellness Clinic on its Largo campus.

Simpson has experience in opening veterinary clinics as he opened a third location for Nashville Pet Emergency Clinic, where he was director. In that role, Simpson oversaw construction and the opening of the third clinic, while managing the other two emergency clinics. His responsibilities included human resources, budget development and management, new business development, and community outreach.

“Lane’s experience with the emergency clinic in Nashville will be vital as we open the veterinary center,” said Martha Boden, CEO of SPCA Tampa Bay. “We look forward to collaborating with Pinellas County veterinary practices to provide pets and their families with the best possible care options.”

In addition to his experience in animal welfare, Simpson worked with the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services for nearly 10 years in a number of roles. As the Director of the Independent Living program, he designed and implemented programs for youth and young adults who were aging out of foster care. He also developed and implemented training programs for foster parents, judges, attorneys, legislators and field staff on issues related to adolescents in foster care.

“Working in child welfare, I always viewed families as a whole and looked for the decisions that were best for all involved,” Simpson said. “Pets are an integral part of the family and offering accessible veterinary care and other support to pet owners can help families stay together.”

SPCA Tampa Bay’s veterinary center reflects two pillars of SPCA Tampa Bay’s mission: promoting humane care and reducing pet overpopulation. The center will offer accessible veterinary care through a centralized St. Petersburg location, flexible hours and creative payment options.

The full-service veterinary hospital will provide a wide variety of veterinary services to dogs and cats, such as senior care, pediatrics, general surgery, internal medicine and laboratory services. In addition, the spay and neuter clinic at the center will prevent unplanned litters, which reduces the number of homeless and unwanted dogs and cats in the community.

SPCA Tampa Bay plans to open its new veterinary center at 3250 5th Ave. N. in St. Petersburg this summer.

About SPCA Tampa Bay

SPCA Tampa Bay accepts all pets surrendered by their owners and injured wildlife. The organization cares for more than 7,500 animals that are admitted each year. The organization’s mission is to improve the community by promoting humane care, preventing animal cruelty and reducing pet overpopulation. Community services include animal cruelty investigation, accessible wellness care, lost/found pet assistance, animal admission and animal transport. SPCA programs include pet adoption, free pet behavior help, Sniff University training for dogs and cats, children’s summer camps and more. Founded in 1940, SPCA Tampa Bay is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization located on 10 acres in Largo with a planned full-service veterinary hospital expected to open in St. Petersburg in 2016. For more information: www.spcatampabay.org.