What is now known as Rainier Veterinary Hospital was established in the home parlor of veterinarian Dr. Bagley. Built in 1910, his home was located at 1510 Rainier Avenue and was one of the first veterinary clinics in what is now the Seattle metro area. It was in those “horse and buggy days” that Dr. Bagley went out on farm calls to treat larger animals during the daytime. However, in the later hours in his converted home, he also saw small pets–mostly those belonging to affluent folks who lived on what is now called “Pill Hill” and could afford the costs of veterinary care.
In 1932, Dr. Roy Carey graduated from WSC (which later became WSU) and joined Dr. Bagley. He inherited the practice when Dr. Bagley passed away in 1942. Around 1937, the house was purchased for $1,000 to make way for the new I-90 freeway. That small, wood-framed house was moved and added to another house located at 815 Rainier Ave South where it would officially become the location for Rainier Veterinary Hospital.
Dr. Ben Kadaner, also a WSC graduate, joined Dr. Carey in 1942, and they were partners until Dr. Kadaner purchased the practice. Dr. Kadaner worked at Rainier Veterinary Hospital until 1994 and retired at the age of 80.
The fourth veterinarian to own the practice was Dr. Clifford Heino. He started working at the practice as a kennel attendant while in high school in December 1959. He graduated from WSU (formerly WSC) in 1974 and owned the practice from 1994 to 2008. Dr. Lo-Tin Kung joined Dr. Heino at Rainier Veterinary Hospital for a short period after graduating from the University of Minnesota. He later returned and purchased the practice in 2008.
When Dr. Kung owned the practice, Rainier Veterinary Hospital was still a walk-in clinic, and people lined up outside the building for their pets to be seen. Rainier Veterinary Hospital has always been known for affordable veterinary care, but in the past, that came with a long wait. Dr. Kung remodeled part of the building to have a total of three exam rooms, and he turned the clinic from a walk-in facility to a by-appointment-only practice. Dr. Kung also brought digital radiography and a state-of-the-art dental machine to the practice.
In April 2014, Dr. Kung sold Rainier Veterinary Hospital to Dr. Debra Nicholson. With Dr. Nicholson’s leadership, the practice has remained a thriving veterinary hospital that has modernized, providing quality professional care to our clients while keeping our history, reputation and affordability alive.