Leesburg Animal Hospital Opens New Location

Staff at the Leesburg Veterinary Hospital welcomed patients into their new location, Tuesday morning, after a three year journey of relocating the business off of Route 15-South. The building, which measures at 9,600 square feet, took about a year to design and fourteen months to build. 

Doctor Michael Strickland said he decided to purchase the property after passing it on his way to work each day. He said the main purpose for the relocation was to provide quality animal care for Loudoun County and surrounding areas for generations to come.

“We’re ecstatic about it,” Strickland said. “I think that it gives us a lot more room and it’s a warm and fitting place for our clients to come and just hang out with their animals.” Strickland, who has been serving Leesburg for 25 years.

Strickland said he wanted to create an atmosphere that allowed patients and their owners to feel happy and right at home. The new location offers eight exam rooms, ample parking as well as a safe area for animals to walk around. A dog park including a memorial garden is also being planned.

“There was a lot of heart put into it and it looks like a home away from home,” said Supervisor Krista Clay.” It’s better technology, we have more space to work in, and have more advanced equipment. And [our clients] think it’s absolutely beautiful here. They are very happy and they’re anxious to see Dr. Strickland’s practice pick up.”

According to the hospital's Web site, Strickland purchased the 40-year old practice from Dr. Jack Howard on Nov. 1, 1985 and moved to its most previous location in March of 1988. The hospital was designed under American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) standards with specific attention to providing quality medicine and surgery for small animals.

Currently, six full time veterinarians are employed including four veterinary technicians, four veterinary assistants, six kennel aides, six office staff members, including a hospital manager.

With an estimated 9,000 patients that have come through his doors, Strickland said he wanted to make sure his clients stay satisfied while servicing the rapidly expanding population within Loudoun County.  

“We’re always available for our clients and want to offer the type of quality and customer service that they would expect from a very good practice,” Strickland said, adding that he hopes to set the standards for veterinary care for veterinarians nationwide.

“It’s on a major highway that kind of intersects big areas that aren’t too far down yet it’s still close enough to the Leesburg area that it’s easy to get to,” Clay said. “Hopefully it will draw in and start branching out to these other areas that didn’t necessarily want to come down into the heart of Leesburg. We’re a 24 hour facility so there’ll be a constant care going on.”

Strickland said the hospital is accredited by the AAHA, which has conducted a quality assessment review of the clinic's facility, medical equipment, practice methods and pet health care management. There are less than 400 veterinary facilities in North America, he said, that are accredited AAHA members.

Services at the Leesburg Animal Hospital include wellness examinations, dentistry, acupuncture, nutrition and behavioral and advanced surgery among other things. Emergency services are also being planned to take place within the next three months.The

Leesburg Animal Hospital is located at 19463 James Monroe Highway. Call 703-777-3313.