As the former owner of Vale Park Animal Hospital, Dr. Jerry Rodenbarger, associate veterinarian and primary surgeon at Vale Park Animal Hospital, has long played an instrumental role in ensuring that local pets are healthy and have a good quality of life. Dr. Rodenbarger stays busy and alternates between treating small animals at the hospital and driving all over Northwest Indiana to check on his horse patients throughout the week. Dr. Rodenbarger remains committed to offering his patients – no matter what kind – the best care possible.
“Our mantra at Vale Park Animal Hospital has always been to prioritize making the client happy and to act in the best interests of their pet,” Dr. Rodenbarger said. “Focus on being there for the people and their pets when they need you, and the business aspect of your practice will take care of itself. If you treat clients the way you would want to be treated and you treat their pet as if he or she was your own, you’ll get along with the majority of pet owners that you work with.”
Dr. Rodenbarger grew up on a horse and pony farm in West Lafayette, just across town from Purdue University. He graduated from Purdue in 1979 with his doctorate in companion animal medicine. In those days, veterinarians who selected the companion animal medicine track of study learned how to treat house pets like dogs and cats as well as larger pets like horses. Dr. Rodenbarger went on to join a five-doctor animal practice in South Bend. This practice was something of an anomaly because, in the 1970s, animal practices were usually operated by no more than two doctors. After spending two years at this practice, he worked at Southlane Veterinary Hospital in Valparaiso for another four years, working with cattle, sheep, hogs, goats, and horses. Dr. Rodenbarger then went on to work at McAfee Animal Hospital in Valparaiso for about five years.
He fondly recounts how he was inspired to become a veterinarian.
“For as long as I can remember, my mother told me that I was going to be a doctor and take care of her when I got older,” Dr. Rodenbarger said. “However, my older sister married an equine veterinarian. Between growing up around horses on our farm and having my brother-in-law around to mentor me, I ended up going to veterinary college. My mom had to get used to the fact that I was going to study veterinary science at Purdue and that, when I grew up, I would not be treating her so much as treating her puppies.”
In 1990, Dr. Rodenbarger purchased the small practice that would later become Vale Park Animal Hospital. Over the years, doctors Mary Ann Sheller and Randi Olson would partner with Dr. Rodenbarger and run the practice together. Eventually, Dr. Olson would part ways with the practice, leaving Dr. Rodenbarger and Dr. Sheller to run the practice themselves. Dr. Rodenbarger went on to sell the practice and stay on as an associate veterinarian, and Dr. Sheller remains one of the practice owners to this day.
Today, Dr. Rodenbarger’s work focuses on orthopedics, reproduction, and soft tissue surgery. He also runs Rodenbarger Equine, the only independent practice operating within Vale Park Animal Hospital. Dr. Rodenbarger makes house calls at stables in towns throughout the Region, including Knox, Merrillville, Hobart, Chesterton and La Porte.
Dr. Rodenbarger is also on emergency call, ready to drive out to assist horse owners at a moment’s notice. He enjoys working with the younger staff of Vale Park Animal Hospital, as this opens up unique opportunities for collaboration.
“I really enjoy working with the young assistants at the hospital,” Dr. Rodenbarger said. “They're exuberant and excited about helping. They're like sponges, ready to learn everything they can. That’s also true for the new doctors who come in. I’ve always enjoyed working with new veterinary school graduates because wonderful things happen when their new ideas and new treatments are laid against our experience. It often takes a little while for our way of doing things to blend and mesh with theirs, but it's an all-around win when it happens. It’s truly wonderful to see and it’s fun to be a part of that.”
When he isn’t treating his patients, Dr. Rodenbarger unwinds by playing sports, volunteering, and traveling with his beloved wife, Linda Rodenbarger. The couple also enjoys making trips to visit with their three adult children.
To learn more about Vale Park Animal Hospital and the care they can provide your furry loved ones, please visit valeparkah.com.
