Though thousands of miles away from where she grew up, Dr. Courtney Lewis is certain that she is right where she is supposed to be.
“I adore Chattanooga...it’s a great town,” she says–a town she fell in love with by chance on a whirlwind honeymoon through the south with her husband in 2019. “We stayed in these little tree houses that are at the base of Lookout Mountain,” Lewis fondly recalls.
They eventually returned home, but when COVID and forest fires uprooted life in their Californian town, their ongoing decision to settle in Chattanooga was solidified and six years later, is stronger than ever for the whole family. “We love taking our dogs out on hikes and walks,” Dr. Lewis shares, which includes frequent trips to Big Soddy where they can fully immerse in nature, or out on the Tennessee River where Ziggy, their French Bulldog, can paddleboard.
Dr. Lewis is no doubt happy to be here but even happier to give back to the community that has welcomed her with open arms and the animals who have always had a special place in the veterinarian’s heart. And while Chattanooga may not have initially been her plan, there was never any doubt about her career path.
“I wanted to be a vet from the start,” Dr. Lewis says, and by age 12, her path in veterinary medicine was already being forged. In high school, she worked part-time at several local animal hospitals and gained a wealth of experience that she credits for her success today.
After completing her studies at the then top ranked veterinary school in the globe, UC Davis, Dr. Lewis wasted no time getting to work, fully prepared with the confidence from her early experience. She has worked in general practice, emergency care, high volume spay neuter “and everywhere in between.” Even today, the learning never stops. “Next to my bed is a stack of journal articles that I read every night to make sure quality of care is staying up with the times.”
For Dr. Lewis, it is quite simple. “My passion lies in giving as much information to the pet parent to allow for them to make an educated decision. There’s many different ways to practice medicine and [give] an owner the power to know how best to guide their pet’s care.”
One of her favorite things, she notes, is the opportunity to witness an animal’s journey alongside their owners. “Even though they’re your clients, they become your friends because you just know them and they trust you, and you trust them.”
Trust is also the foundation on which Dr. Lewis is building the Chattanooga area’s first ever open-concept animal hospital. It is trust in the timing, process and, most of all, her lifelong passion and respect for veterinary medicine and small business owners. “Our world right now is very distrustful of medicine, and we don’t have a lot of transparency in veterinary medicine," she says.
The modern hospital’s open accessibility floor plan is carefully crafted with many glass doors and windows. This will provide the opportunity for those who feel a strong need to know exactly what is being done, the ability to see first-hand everything from ultrasounds and blood draws to treatment and some surgeries, while also offering the option for others to comfortably wait in a designated area if they prefer.
With unwavering, inspiring commitment to her calling, Dr. Lewis and her equally dedicated staff are well on their way to making much needed change to the previously heavily corporate veterinary care in Chattanooga. This will be a “game changer” for pet parents, she says.
Chatt Town Veterinary Hospital will open early this summer and will provide all levels of care, from routine visits to advanced surgeries. Learn more at www.chatt.vet.
“My passion lies in giving as much information to the pet parent to allow for them to make an educated decision."
With unwavering, inspiring commitment to her calling, Dr. Lewis and her equally dedicated staff are well on their way to making much needed change