While Landon Brough was growing up, he had a passion for animals and nature. Still, pursuing something in the science or medical world wasn’t initially on his radar—until a chance meeting with a vet in college.
“I had never had pets growing up,” he says. “And [when I was in college], I was bouncing between an accounting major and a business major because that’s what I thought you were supposed to do. This vet was telling me what he did, and I was interested, so he invited me to come watch him for a day.”
Brough did—and the rest is history.
He began taking the classes to be a veterinarian and working with and shadowing different doctors. That’s when “the stars aligned,” and he realized that all his training was relevant, because he wanted to own his veterinary hospital so that he could create the environment and culture he envisioned.
After graduating from veterinary school in Washington state—he had gone to Arizona State University for undergrad—Brough, a graduate of Mesquite High School in Gilbert, returned to the Valley, where he had grown up.
He worked for other clinics for a while before pursuing his dream and opening Sonoran Sky Pet Hospital this past March.
“I wanted to provide compassionate, collaborative veterinary care,” he explains. “It really comes down to creating something and building something. Starting from the ground up is something that has always intrigued me. Building an environment where I could influence people, whether employees or my clientele, to have feelings of growth and empowerment is really important to me.
“My drive is to empower individuals, and I just happen to do veterinary medicine. What I mean by that is that the experiences that pet owners were having [elsewhere] I just felt could be better. Empowering my clients to make the best decisions for themselves and their pets is what drove me to build Sonoran Sky Pet Hospital. Also, for my future employees and doctors who will work with me, I want to provide a place where they can be empowered.”
Sonoran Sky Pet Hospital is a full-service pet hospital for dogs and cats, providing everything from puppy and kitten preventative medicine to end-of-life services, and everything in between. The practice offers internal medicine, dentistry, and surgical services. It also has a network of trusted specials in case those services are needed.
“My goal is to put that personal touch back in veterinary medicine,” Brough says.
He says another goal is to be part of the fabric of the community he calls home.
“In the process of opening this, I looked all over the Valley,” Brough shares. “But I feel there is more of a culture and identity in the area here, and to join that identity is wonderful.”
When Brough isn’t treating other people’s beloved pets, he goes home to his own. He and his wife have a dog, a cat, 18 chickens, and seven ducks.
“My wife and I are interested in having a hobby farm, and we’re currently putting that together,” he says. “We hope to expand [our crew] to include sheep and cows and other critters.”
Whether at home or Sonoran Sky Pet Hospital, Brough’s passion for taking care of animals shines through.
“I’m obviously passionate about pets and their welfare,” he says.
"Empowering my clients to make the best decisions for themselves and their pets is what drove me to build Sonoran Sky Pet Hospital."