FARMINGTON -- Clients and friends stopped by Farmington Veterinary Clinic last week to give their well wishes to Dr. Alan Thompson, who has retired as a full-time vet after 36 years in the community.
The clinic held a retirement reception from 4-5 p.m., Jan. 24 and Jan. 25. Thompson's actual retirement date was Nov. 27, 2022, but he still is filling in as a relief veterinarian as needed.
Thompson started a practice in Farmington in 1987 with Dr. Randy Chick in a different building along Main Street in Farmington. At the time, it was the only professional building in Farmington, Thompson said.
"We had the only insurance agent, the only lawyer and the only veterinarian in town," Thompson said.
Three years later, he moved into the current building at 30 W. Main St. and turned his practice into a full-time clinic. Along with this clinic, Thompson also served large farm animals for about seven years before deciding to just stick with a small-animal practice, mainly dogs and cats.
Being a large-animal vet was hard work and long hours, Thompson said.
"For seven years, I was the most available vet," he said. "I had a truck and would travel anywhere."
He recalls one visit to Devil's Den where he rode on horseback up the mountain to check on the animal. He walked down the mountain, he said, because he wasn't going to ride on a horse.
Almost all his large-animal practice was on the road. Back then, there were 20 to 30 dairies in this area and this part of the state had two/thirds of the cattle in Arkansas, he said.
"It was 72 hours a week because most large animals are after hours because people worked during the day," he said, adding he had his small-animal practice during the day and was on the road in the evenings to call on large animals.
The long hours wore on him, he said.
Thompson grew up in Little Rock and earned two degrees from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, a bachelor of science degree in animal science and a master's degree in animal breeding and genetics. He attended veterinary school at Louisiana State University.
He first practiced in Huntsville and after about seven months said he realized the area was too rural for him. He came to Northwest Arkansas and Farmington because he liked the area from attending the university in Fayetteville.
Thompson sold his veterinary practice in 2017 to a managed group now called Thrive, though the practice will continue to operate as Farmington Veterinary Clinic. For the past five years, he has worked for the company as an employee, without having to worry about running the business. His secretary at the time, Nancy Woodward, became the practice manager and he jokes, "She's treated me pretty well."
Thompson said the new company wanted him to continue to work at the clinic "because I was the practice for the longest time."
Thompson still owns the building and property, about .89 acre, and said Farmington Veterinary Animal Clinic has submitted plans to the city to build a new, larger animal clinic behind the current clinic. Eventually, the current clinic will be torn down and used as parking space, he said.
Thompson cannot guess how many animals he's seen over the years. With three vets working, they would see 30-40 animals a day.
"We never turned anyone away. We may get a little busy and may have to put them off to the next day."
He said he enjoyed seeing clients he had known for 20 to 30 years during the two-day reception. He said it's been fun to have grown children of his oldest clients bring in their animals to the clinic.
Over the years, Thompson has been actively involved in the city. He served on Farmington City Council for a time, helped to start the Farmington Area Chamber of Commerce and is an active member of Farmington First Baptist on Rheas Mill Road.
His wife, Mary Thompson, who has passed away, worked for Farmington School District for many years.
Woodward, who worked for Thompson for 20 years, half his time in Farmington, said she believes the clinic has been successful because people liked Thompson and the clinic's small-town feel.
Clients and their patients, which is what the clinic calls the animals, would get personal attention and Woodward said she believes that was very attractive to people.
Other veterinarians at the clinic now are Dr. Ali Pilkington, who has been there since January 2000, and Dr. Anne McAlister.
Woodward said the clinic is searching for another veterinarian to replace Thompson and would like to have a total of five full-time veterinarians when the new building is completed.
Lynn Kutter/Enterprise-Leader Colleen and Clint Glover, of Farmington, visit with Dr. Alan Thompson, center, during a reception Jan. 25 to celebrate his retirement after 36 years as a veterinarian in Farmington. The Glovers have been clients of Thompson for more than 20 years.