Perhaps you’ve seen it zipping around town, the little blue hatchback plastered with Ohio State University stickers. That’s Dr. Michael Zuccaro, owner of and head veterinarian at Brook Run Animal Clinic.
An alumnus of the school, Dr. Zuccaro—or Z, as his clinic staff affectionately refer to him—makes no attempts to hide his OSU fanaticism; in addition to the car, his office is filled with all manner of Buckeye paraphernalia, and there’s a kind of childlike giddiness about him whenever the school’s football team has a good season.
So, what is it then that could lure someone with such obvious attachments to his home state to move to Richmond in order to practice veterinary medicine?
"Richmond was really ideal," said the tall thin father of three. "I came here to be closer to the mountains, to Washington, D.C., and to actually see the sunshine. There isn’t much of it in Cleveland."
As it turns out, Zuccaro was exactly what the city needed, given the growing number of animal adoption organizations in the area. He maintains a close relationship with most of these organizations, including CARE (Cat Adoption and Rescue), AARF (Animal Adoption and Rescue Foundation), and BARK (Bandit’s Adoption and Rescue of K-9s), and he serves as the de facto vet for all of the Henrico County Police Department bomb and drug-sniffing dogs.
For 19 years, he was a consulting veterinarian for Maymont Zoo, up until September of last year. All of these responsibilities make for a rigorous work schedule—it’s not uncommon for his workdays to run to 12 hours or more—but it’s the unpredictable nature of his work that keeps Zuccaro motivated.
"I do something different every day," he said. "That’s what drew me into the field. I see animal species of all kinds, I do a variety of surgical procedures and work a variety of medical cases, and I run a small business. There’s always something new."
In addition to the large numbers of household pets that he sees, Zuccaro also tends to a considerable number of reptiles, goats, rabbits, and wild birds, many of which are ambulanced in by Henrico County Animal Control.
Zuccaro joined the Brook Practice in 1990, which at that time was owned by a different doctor. Six years later, he purchased the practice, and in 2004 he completed construction of a new building to accommodate his rapidly growing client base.
"We needed more treatment space, more surgery space, and more exam room space in the new building. Those were my major goals for it. We expanded from 1700 square feet to 4500 square feet."
Presently, the clinic contains four examination rooms, a treatment room, surgery room, and a large boarding kennel organized by animal size and medical condition.
Of course, as one can imagine, an animal clinic isn’t always the most cheerful of places to work, and on any given day Zuccaro and his staff handle a number of unfortunate cases that would undoubtedly test the resolve of any reasonable person.
"There is still a lot of animal abuse and neglect," he said. "I like to try to make a difference in helping these animals, though sometimes that involves having to make difficult choices."
So then, how does one prepare for the often unsettling realities of an animal clinic?
"I’m not sure one can prepare—mentally, at least—for much of what we see," said Zuccaro. In a capacity such as his, he said, one must view his work within the context of the animal’s best interests, which aren’t always in line with the owners’. "The mindset for this work environment involves doing everything possible to improve the health and well-being of each of our patients."
Ultimately, though, it is the relationship between animals and humans that makes his work so rewarding.
"There is a very strong emotional bond going both ways, from owner to pet and pet to owner. It’s a really amazing interaction."
And while most of his clientele, including the city agencies he works with, hold him in very high regard—just look at the thank-you letters that come to him daily from folks whose pets he’s tended to—he claims that he is simply following their lead.
"I am inspired by all the individuals without medical experience who pitch in to foster, medicate, shelter, adopt and love these animals. It pushes me to do my part."
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