The History of Perry Vet

A Practice Built to Last

In 1919, Dr. F.C. Clark, a Cornell University graduate, opened a small veterinary clinic in Perry, New York. For a time, the practice operated out of a colleague's garage on Covington Street. It was a modest start for what would become one of the most established veterinary practices in the region.

Fellow Cornell graduates Dr. Norman Skinner and Dr. Walter Kreutter joined in the 1940s and 1950s, helping shape the clinic's early identity. Dr. Allan Chamberlain arrived in the 1960s and spearheaded a wave of modernization that set the stage for everything that followed.

Growing Alongside the Region

By 1971, the practice had outgrown its original home and moved to its current location on Route 246, taking the name Perry Veterinary Clinic. The timing was right. The dairy industry across western New York was transforming, with herds growing from 30 or 40 cows to well over 100. The role of the farm veterinarian grew with it, expanding into nutrition, reproduction, herd health management, and embryo transfer programs.

At the same time, companion animal medicine was changing fast. New diagnostic tests, vaccines, and therapeutic nutrition were redefining what it meant to care for a pet. Perry Vet invested in both worlds, adding partners and updating facilities through the 1970s, 1980s, and into the 1990s to keep pace with a rapidly advancing field.

Expanding to Serve More Communities

In 1990, the practice opened its first satellite location, the Animal Care Facility of Livonia, extending its reach into Livingston County. A second location followed in Yorkshire in 1997. Each new clinic reflected the same dual commitment: keeping dairy producers supported while meeting the growing expectations of pet owners in surrounding communities.

Through the 1990s and into the 2000s, Perry Vet continued to invest in equipment and expertise, adding ultrasound, improved cardiology tools, and in-house diagnostics. As some dairy herds in the region grew to exceed 1,000 cows, the practice's large animal team grew alongside them.

In 2011, Perry Vet added a fourth companion animal location by purchasing the Batavia Animal Hospital. A new Batavia clinic building was completed in 2013. That same period brought significant expansion to the Perry facility itself, including a 7,500 square foot warehouse to better serve dairy producers' product needs.

Two Missions Rooted in One Practice

In 2014, the practice took a step that reflected how it had always operated: it formalized the distinction between its two audiences. The companion animal clinics were unified under the name Perry Pet, and the large animal service and farm retail side of the business became Perry Vet. Two brands, two identities, one practice with over 90 years of shared history behind both.

In the years since, the practice has continued to grow. In 2022, Perry Vet acquired Lakewood Veterinary Services, a large animal practice, bringing a significant number of additional dairy cattle and farm clients into the fold. In 2023, a newly built Livonia clinic opened, and Perry Vet welcomed its newest partner physicians into the team.

More Than 100 Years In

What started in a garage on Covington Street now spans multiple locations across western New York and northern Pennsylvania, with a team of veterinarians serving everything from house cats and family dogs to dairy herds of thousands of cows. The medicine has changed enormously. The commitment to this region has not.