New animal hospital opens in O'Hara

A Fox Chapel area native has opened up a new business in her hometown.

PetVet365, a full-service veterinary hospital along Freeport Road in O’Hara Township, welcomes pets of all shapes and sizes.

It is owned and operated by Megan Garrison of Indiana Township along with her business partner and fellow veterinarian Meghan Theman of Lawrenceville.

The two met while studying to become veterinarians at the University of Sydney in Australia in the early 2000s.

Garrison said she had gone to Australia as an undergraduate at Vanderbilt University in Nashville to study business at Australia’s Bond University. She loved the country and wanted to go back.

“We have similar interests,” Garrison said about Theman. “We both enjoy traveling and definitely have a love for pets.”

Other veterinarians at PetVet365 are Fox Chapel area residents Meghan Fincher and Amanda Resek. Everyone has more than 10 years experience in the animal health care industry. Fincher and Theman also have experience treating military dogs.

PetVet365 focuses on preventative care and dentistry. All veterinarians handle a variety of appointments as well as same-day emergencies.

The Fox Chapel business was among several PetVet365s to open in the United States. Other locations are in Kentucky and Cincinnati.

Garrison plans to open a location in Ross Park and another in Monroeville later this year.

Growing up

Garrison grew up in O’Hara Township riding horses, playing with pet dogs and a turtle named Friday.

She graduated from Fox Chapel Area High School in 1998.

Garrison said she did not have plans to become a veterinarian until sometime in college.

“I was headed down toward more of a business path, more toward investment banking and decided kind of the last minute that that wasn’t going to be for me,” she said. “I’ve always loved pets. It just seemed the more and more I learned about it, the more I looked into it the more interested I became just in the profession as a whole.

“There’s definitely a need to not only help animals, but make it in a way that was inviting for clients as well. I’ve also really enjoyed the business side of being a veterinarian. It’s being able to combine both of those passions in one industry.”

Garrison earned a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and business administration from Vanderbilt University in 2002, and a bachelor’s of veterinary science and veterinary medicine from the University of Sydney in Australia in 2007.

Theman, formerly of Virginia, practiced in the San Diego area for 10 years and in Winchester and Virginia Beach, Va., for about three years before relocating to the Pittsburgh area.

“We kept in touch and I visited Pittsburgh over the years,” Theman said. “It’s a cool city. I didn’t really know much about it, but I really enjoyed all that Pittsburgh has to offer. Then this opportunity came up. With 15 years of friendship, it was kind of an easy (decision).”

Picking the right spot

Garrison and Theman acquired the building in July and started renovations in September.

It was an old Mattress Firm at the intersection of Freeport Road and Old Freeport Road.

“The visibility was great, the access was great,” Garrison said of the location. “Being really close with the Waterworks and the plaza right across the street, it’s an easy spot for people in this area to get to. When we first got here, this was just a box.”

Construction and grand opening plans were delayed due to supply chain issues during the pandemic. Doors were finally opened shortly after Christmas.

PetVet365 offers the “fear free experience,” which includes having mini living rooms instead of the traditional waiting area of animal hospitals or other medical offices.

There are treats and TVs in each room. Pet artwork and pheromones in the rooms designed to calm pets. Patrons also can see the hospital’s mascot, Dixie, Garrison’s 2-year-old red Labrador.

Garrison said the goal is to have a positive experience for the animals and their owners.

“You won’t find exam tables (by the door),” she said. “You won’t see doctors with their white coats on and that kind of stuff. We shower them with treats while they are in here, and have a lot of different tools that we can use for distraction … From the way the building’s designed, the exam rooms, the way it’s furnished down to the way the associates are all trained and certified to be able to engage with the pets. It really is the entire experience. We want it to be a warm and inviting environment.”

Theman said there’s been a lot of positive feedback.

“The people (say), ‘This the first time my animal’s been happy at a vet, and they haven’t been anxious. We haven’t had to sedate them and we haven’t had to medicate them.’ It’s been really nice listening to people just having different experiences here. The ‘fear free’ for me really has proven itself. I think the people are more relaxed because it doesn’t feel like a hospital. That trickles down the leash to the pet.”

Pet owners can get more information or make an appointment by going to petvet365.com/foxchapel.