Barb Burnett is an avid outdoor enthusiast, a loving pet parent, and an experienced business owner, but one field she knew nothing about when she joined our team 4 1/2 years ago was veterinary medicine. OUR OFFICE MANAGER APPRECIATES THE MAGIC OF HEALING Spotlighting Barb!
FLUFFY’S HEROIC DEED SAVES A VETERAN
In 2020, Ron Williams, a Korean War veteran in his mid-80s, lived alone. His only lifeline was his Life Alert, a small device designed to alert healthcare officials if an emergency occurred. That was until he was gifted a black-and-white spotted cat named Fluffy. From the moment they met, it was clear the two would make a perfect pair. But what Ron didn’t know was that he had been given more than a companion — he had been given a savior. Feline Friend While Ron did not have many people to talk to, he did have Fluffy. The two shared mostly one-sided conversations, likely interspersed with the occasional meow. Whenever Ron received a call on his cellphone, he got in the habit of saying, “Ring-a-ding.” While the two shared a deep bond, Ron never considered that Fluffy was actually listening. “I just fell in love with him,” Ron said of Fluffy in an interview with FOX17 in Michigan. As it turned out, Fluffy loved him back. Fluffy to the Rescue One fateful day, at around 8 a.m., Ron slipped and fell on his way out of the shower. He landed on his arm, which became pinned under him. His Life Alert, which he had relied upon for situations like this, was charging in the other room. His cell phone, his only other means of calling for help, was on the bathroom counter, out of reach. The hours ticked away, and Ron lay in agonizing pain on the bathroom floor. At just past midnight the next day, Ron had an idea. Fluffy had wandered into the bathroom to check on his friend. “Ring-a-ding,” Ron told him, and Fluffy knew to retrieve his phone and bring it to him. Ron was able to call for help in time to save his life. Fluffy’s quick thinking prevented tragedy. This heroic act is a great reminder that our pets care — and listen — more than we may ever give them credit for.
She has been impressed by its impact on critically ill pets. “Some of the pets come in and you think, ‘There’s no way this dog or cat is going to make
it through,’ and then they do!” says Barb, who serves as our office manager and receptionist. “They come out on the other side and have many more years. It’s amazing to me that the doctors can take an animal that is so sick and, with their skill and knowledge,
perform their magic.”
Barb and her husband Gregg previously owned and operated a sporting
goods store. After they decided to close it, she remembered that Dr. Jeff had once told her, “We are always looking for good people,” so she applied for an opening here and is glad she did. “I do really enjoy my job,” she says. Barb’s family has expanded recently to include two one-eyed black rescue cats. After one of her two cats died, she adopted a black shelter cat, Cassi. Cassi had a badly damaged eye —probably the result of an attack by a dog, raccoon, fox, or another cat. Dr. Susie recommended removing the eye, which she did, and Cassi is feeling much better. About a month ago, Dr. Susie rescued another black kitty that also had a badly damaged eye. After Dr. Susie removed it, Barb adopted her, too, and named her Ella. Icarus, Barb’s orange kitty, is less than thrilled with his two companions, she says, but he’s getting used to them. Away from work, Barb enjoys fly fishing, ice fishing, camping, riding ATVs, and Jeeping on the Grand Mesa with Gregg. Her best fish story, Barb says, involves catching “a 24-inch cutthroat trout up on the Mesa with a fly rod.”
When she’s not exploring the outdoors, Barb keeps our office running smoothly and on schedule. We are thrilled to have her with us!
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