“She’s our rock!”

That is how Dr. Patricia Kennedy, who, along with her husband Dr. Richard Arrington, started Jefferson Animal Hospital 48 years ago, describes Dr. Terri Fowler.

Dr. Fowler—simply Terri to all of us—will retire from the clinic in July after 45 years. A journey of joy, laughter, sometimes sadness, but one noted for her professional and loving care for the thousands of pets she’s treated throughout the years.

(Above left) Trading her stethoscope for her dancing shoes, Terri competes nationally in ball room dance contests.  And this versatile performer has recently added line-dancing to her repertoire.  
(Above center) Dr. Fowler pauses on a recent tour to talk about her 45 year career.”It’s remarkable to think about how visionary the clinic has been over the years. It’s been my privilege to have been a part of it all.” 
(Above right) Terri in her office reviewing the case management system at the Hospital. “As a full service hospital we use state of the art technology to help us keep track of our patients.”

Talking with Dr. Kennedy and the staff, you learn that Terri will leave an indelible mark on every department and service provided, many of which were pioneering in the field of veterinary medicine.

From the early days of her career—the first 24/7 clinic in Kentucky, the first blood bank in Kentucky and one of only a few in the nation—to today’s innovative surgical and laboratory procedures, the hospitalist approach to animal care, and much more, Terri’s contributions have been many.

I had the opportunity to take a tour and visit with Terri recently as she looked back on her remarkable career.

Terri’s love for animals began on the family’s farm in Martinsville, Indiana, where they raised Black Angus cattle and hogs. Terri’s maternal grandparents raised Fox Terriers, often having 30 to 35 puppies in their kennels, where you could find Terri on summer days caring for the puppies.

Terri learned about hard work from her dad, who worked both on the farm and the second shift at Diamond Chain in Indianapolis. A good student, she was valedictorian at Martinsville High School and, after graduation, set her sights on attending Purdue University.

Looking back, Terri remembers that her road to becoming a veterinarian was marked by detours along the way. When she told her high school guidance counselor that she wanted to become a vet, she was advised, “You should become a teacher. Being a vet is not a good profession for a lady.” “So, I packed my bags and went off to college with the plan to become a biology and math teacher,” Terri recalled.

But as fate would have it, toward the end of her first year, as she was looking at job postings, she found that an area veterinary clinic was looking for summer help.

“That summer job rekindled my dreams of becoming a veterinarian, and at Purdue that fall, I met with a counselor who encouraged me to pursue that dream.” After three years of hard work and straight A’s, Terri was accepted into vet school, one of only 14 girls out of a class of seventy-two. Terri laughs now, saying, “You know, they didn’t make it easy on girls in those days, but I was determined to follow my dreams—and look at me now, 45 years later, here I am!”

After graduating, Terri saw an advertisement from the clinic here in Louisville. “I wanted to stay close to home, but it was so cold in Indiana, moving anywhere south appealed to me. Louisville was two hours from home, which was perfect—and warmer!”

The clinic had just begun offering 24/7 care, something unheard of at the time. Jefferson Animal Hospital was just one of only three in the country at that time to do so. But Dr. Kennedy and Dr. Arrington had a vision, despite being told it would never work. They met a need, Louisville being home to the GE Appliance Park, Ford Motor, and other businesses that had a number of employees working second and third shifts.

As it turns out, timing is everything. That same year, the Canine Parvo Virus struck across the country. There was no vaccine, and, as they quickly discovered at Jefferson Animal Hospital, supportive care involving extensive hospitalization was the best approach and offered the best survival rate for dogs with Parvo. No other clinic in the area could offer that. “It was visionary,” Terri says with a smile.

Over the years, the clinic has seen phenomenal growth that is continuing today. During my visit to the clinic, I saw firsthand the ongoing construction of surgical suites, expanding lab and pharmacy areas, along with kennel space. More expansion is planned. Looking back on her career, Terri said she always enjoyed the people and their stories.

“People develop strong bonds with their pets. I recall a retired gentleman who was inseparable from his cocker spaniel. They were best friends. Unfortunately, the dog developed kidney failure and, despite several days of intensive care at the hospital, its condition continued to deteriorate. We eventually reached the point where further treatment was no longer viable.”

Terri, with a distant look back, commented, “It’s challenging to inform someone that their pet is dying, and I particularly dreaded breaking the news to this gentleman about his companion’s condition. One moment we are offering comfort and empathy to a grieving owner, and the next we are welcoming another client who brings in a puppy or a kitten—with our best happy face. Our emotions fluctuate greatly as we navigate pet owners through the journey of their pets’ life and death.”

With a quick smile, Terri shared a side note with me about their new computer system. “The computer transcribes conversations with pet owners into medical records and can even use artificial intelligence (AI) to write poems about the pet.

“For example, a blind cat named Helen Keller inspired this poem: ‘Gentle whispers, heart beats strong / A song in her heart as she drinks from life with grace…’ and so on. The owners framed the poem after their cat was gone,” Terri remembers.

A few years ago, Terri’s mom in Indiana became ill. “I was working full-time, driving back and forth to try and care for Mom, and quite frankly was just about at the breaking point. Dr. Kennedy was great and helped a great deal, and I also met Keith Knapp, who at that time was with Christian Care Communities.”

Christian Care Communities is Kentucky’s largest faith-inspired nonprofit provider of affordable senior living and long-term care for older adults, with a deep and long connection to Beargrass. “Before Mom passed away, I brought her here, and the staff at Christian Care were great. They were a blessing.”

Today, you find Terri, the clinic’s Chief of Staff, involved in all aspects of the operation—from clinical services to serving as the lead treatment doctor for hospital management to payroll administration and management. One minute she’s in ICU, the next administering IV fluids or seeing patients in the hospital. “I’m everywhere,” she laughs. “You might say I have my dancing shoes on!”

While Dr. Terri Fowler may be hanging up her stethoscope, she’s not planning on slowing down. As a matter of fact, she’s trading her fast pace at the clinic for the dance floor and the fast-paced world of competitive ballroom dancing.

“Several years ago, I took up dancing, and I enjoy competitions, production stage shows, and occasionally taking a cruise with dancing friends—a different kind of whirlwind activity, you might say! And I hope to do more. I just started line dancing and love it.”

Growing up in the Disciples Church, her heart for service continues. Terri now serves on the Christian Care Communities Board of Directors, continuing a long tradition of Beargrass service. She’s president of the Agape Sunday School Class, a member of the Visitor Engagement Ministry Team, and she plans to serve for years to come in the ministry of Beargrass Christian.

Terri marks a significant milestone this year, celebrating twenty years as a member of Beargrass. As she plans for retirement, she noted her appreciation for the variety of classes, service opportunities, fellowship activities, and spiritual growth resources available at the church. “I look forward to staying active and having more time to participate in the various offerings at Beargrass.”

“Trey’s sermon recently spoke to my heart on this exact subject. First I want to take a little time to ‘Rest in Peace,’ as the sermon said—regroup,” and then, pausing, she added, “I have complete faith that God will show me the path He best wants me to follow with what remains of my life journey—whatever those paths may be.”

Leaving the clinic after our visit, I had the opportunity to talk with Dr. Kennedy once more about Terri. She shared with me that Terri’s contributions to the clinic, to veterinary medicine, and to the pets and people in Jefferson County are immeasurable. “We are one of the only animal hospitals in our region to provide a comprehensive continuum of veterinary care for dogs and cats through wellness, urgent, critical, and emergency care—including emergency and general surgical intervention, intensive care, wellness, and outpatient care services.” Dr. Kennedy noted, “Terri has been our rock, and we’ll miss her.”

As the quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson says, “The purpose of life is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”

Congratulations, Dr. Terri Fowler, for your remarkable career, a well-deserved retirement, and for making a difference. A beautiful waltz indeed.

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