Tucked along one of Decatur’s busiest streets, Church Street Animal Hospital has quietly cared for local dogs and cats for decades. Now, the long-standing veterinary clinic is entering a new chapter, blending its neighborhood feel with expanded services, additional doctors and a more integrated approach to pet care.
“It’s been a real staple in the Decatur community for 30 years,” said Rita Kuhn, one of the owners of Church Street Animal Hospital. “Our goal was to continue to be that staple in the community.”
Dr. Cynthia Fordyce led the hospital from 1995 until 2023, when HART Pet Partners purchased the practice with the goal of preserving its Decatur roots while expanding its services for local pet families.
Since changing hands, the clinic has undergone a full physical transformation. The lobby now features sea-glass tones and Tiffany blue accents, creating a look that feels more like a spa than a typical veterinary office. From the light-filled reception area to the exam rooms and treatment spaces, the hospital feels bright, airy, and intentionally soothing.
Beyond the refreshed space, the team says the heart of the practice is still the same: providing personal care for pets and the people who love them.
Kuhn noted that pets are seen as family members now, more than ever. That understanding shapes the way the clinic approaches care. “We’re all very in tune with the human-animal bond,” she said.
Dr. Andrea Dunnings, one of Church Street’s owners and a longtime veterinarian, said Church Street aims to make veterinary visits as comfortable as possible for both people and pets. “It’s more of a laid-back, non-hurried interaction that allows the clients to relax and be heard.”
For Kuhn, that sense of comfort and community shows up in everyday moments, from front-desk greetings to emotional goodbyes. Kimberly Mendoza, who provides customer care and greets people at the clinic’s front desk, knows nearly everyone who walks in the door.
“Our staff love the people who love the babies. The staff create personal relationships with the people and the pets,” she said. “They have special bonds with so many clients, to the point where when something happens to a pet, everyone’s crying.”
Meg Willette, practice manager for Church Street Animal Hospital, said that connection is especially meaningful in a community where many residents treat their pets like family. “Many Decatur residents have no human children, and their pets become like their children,” Willette said. “I think that speaks to the human-animal bond and how important veterinary care is to families.”
For Kuhn, remaining independently owned is part of what allows Church Street Animal Hospital to keep the personal, relationship-driven feel many pet owners want from a neighborhood veterinary practice. Inside the newly refreshed clinic, the team provides full-service care for dogs and cats, from wellness exams, vaccinations and parasite prevention to dentistry, diagnostic testing, surgery, pharmacy services and same-day urgent visits.
Preventive care has also become a major focus of the practice. At the start of 2026, Church Street introduced wellness plans designed to make routine care financially manageable. For a monthly payment, the plans include vaccinations, unlimited exams and regular bloodwork, helping owners bring in pets for concerns such as an injured paw or itchy skin without worrying about an additional exam fee.
Dr. Dunnings said routine lab testing can be especially valuable, even for younger pets. A blood panel for a healthy adult dog or cat can create a baseline, making it easier to spot changes later. In some cases, she said, testing has helped the team detect congenital or other conditions early enough to intervene and help extend a pet’s life.
“We don’t close our eyes to how expensive it is to have a pet,” Kuhn said.
The next major change for the veterinary clinic is the planned integration of Loving Touch Animal Center, a local practice long known for its holistic and integrative approach. The team hopes to have the practices fully integrated by September, bringing additional doctors and services into Church Street Animal Hospital.
The partnership will expand the clinic’s ability to combine traditional veterinary medicine with integrative therapies such as acupuncture, chiropractic treatment, and Chinese herbal medicine. For the Church Street team, the merger is both practical and philosophical. It’s a way to offer more services under one roof while treating the whole patient.
Kuhn described the opportunity to partner with Dr. Michelle Tilghman and her team as “a dream come true.” As the clinic grows, the goal is to retain that personal attention that makes Church Street and Decatur special. Kuhn said Decatur pet owners are deeply dedicated to their animals.
For Church Street Animal Hospital, this next chapter is about building on what’s already working. The hope is to give Decatur pet families more of what they need in one place, while keeping the familiar neighborhood feel that has defined the clinic for decades.
“There is something really special about Decatur,” Kuhn said. “The people are just real caring and are very dedicated to their pets.”
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Church Street Animal Hospital encourages pet owners to keep dogs and cats on year-round heartworm prevention, even during cooler months.
During hot weather, avoid walking pets during the hottest part of the day around 3-4 pm. Streets and sidewalks can may burn paws.Pets should also never be left in a parked car, even with the windows cracked.