74-Year-Old Veterinarian Offers to Give Away his Practice to Attract Replacement

The Makotah Veterinary Center serves the 14,000 residents and their livestock and pets in Faribault County, Minn. Robert Bogan, DVM, says he can’t bear the thought of leaving his county without a veterinarian.
The Makotah Veterinary Center serves the 14,000 residents and their livestock and pets in Faribault County, Minn. Robert Bogan, DVM, says he can’t bear the thought of leaving his county without a veterinarian.
(Makotah Veterinary Center )

A rural veterinarian in Faribault County, Minn., is offering to give away his practice, clinic, pickup and even the vet clinic cat, in an effort to recruit his replacement.

At age 74, Robert Bogan, DVM, can’t bear the thought of leaving his county without a veterinarian. Faribault County covers 220 square miles, includes 14,000 people and one veterinarian.

He told KARE 11 News that he hopes his offer will help bring in a veterinarian to handle those emergency calls that have the community deeply concerned about not having a veterinarian close by.

City administrator Mary Kennedy said she has never heard of anyone giving their business away. Bogan knows this is true, but he insists he is ready to sign over the deed to his Blue Earth clinic and everything inside but the pharmaceuticals.

A Challenging Road
Bill Rosenau, a Faribault County farmer and banker, told KARE that he’s been part of a group that’s been working for years to bring in a new veterinarian to the county. In fact, their efforts helped the county secure a spot in a federal program that could forgive, for their next vet, up to a $150,000 in college debt for a six-year commitment.

Rosenau said it’s been harder than anyone expected to draw a veterinarian to their rural community.

The problem is not unique to Faribault County. Many areas in rural America are struggling to find veterinarians, as vet school graduates are lured to more lucrative urban and suburban clinics.

In June, Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) introduced bipartisan legislation to address the shortfall of veterinarians in rural areas. The Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP) Enhancement Act is designed to meet the growing demand for veterinarians nationwide by eliminating taxes on programs that encourage veterinarians to practice in underserved areas.
 
“Veterinarians provide essential support for the agricultural economy in so many rural areas and small towns in Michigan and nationwide,” Stabenow said in a press release. “But too many places lack the veterinary services they need. This bipartisan bill will provide incentives for veterinarians to practice in underserved areas, where quality veterinary care is needed to ensure healthy livestock and a safe food supply.”

Finding qualified veterinarians in agricultural communities is key to maintain animal health and welfare, Crapo said in a release. 

A Glimmer of Hope
After five years of searching, Fairbault County has a glimmer of hope, KARE reports. Leyton Becker recently finished his freshman year at the University of Minnesota vet school and is interning with Bogan this summer. His salary is being paid by hopeful area business owners. 

Becker grew up on a hog farm 20 miles from Bogan’s clinic. Not only does he know the area, he understands what the job requires. 

However, Becker has three more years of vet school to complete, at which time Bogan would be 77, KARE reports. But the beloved veterinarian says he is willing to wait if his health holds up. 

Read More:

Lawmakers Address Shortfall of Veterinarians in Rural Areas

Grandma’s Still Got It: 92-Year-Old Pig Showman Gets Back in the Ring

How Could PRRS 1-4-4 1C Sneak into Your Herd?

Vaccine Could Provide Cattle GHG Solution

Oh Baby: A Dairy Cow Birthing Center Spectacle

Consider Early Pregnancy Checking Beef Cattle During Drought

 

Latest News

APHIS Now Thinks Wild Birds Are to Blame for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza's Arrival on Four U.S. Dairies
APHIS Now Thinks Wild Birds Are to Blame for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza's Arrival on Four U.S. Dairies

The livestock industry continues to grapple with the first confirmed cases of HPAI in cattle, while federal and state agencies continue to assure consumers there's no concern about the safety of the U.S. milk supply.

AABP Creates 'Using Credentialed Veterinary Technicians  in Bovine Practice' Guidelines
AABP Creates 'Using Credentialed Veterinary Technicians in Bovine Practice' Guidelines

Utilizing credentialed veterinary technicians (CVTs) in bovine practice can assist veterinarians in providing additional and efficient services to their large animal clients.

Get the Facts Straight on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza
Get the Facts Straight on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza

Now that the mystery illness impacting some dairy herds has been revealed as the same strain of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza that has been impacting the U.S. poultry flock, pork producers are asking questions.

New Guide Helps Producers Maximize Values of Cull Cows
New Guide Helps Producers Maximize Values of Cull Cows

A new resource developed by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and CattleFax helps cattle producers maximize profitability from their culling decisions.

"Boring" Technology Will Reshape Dairy Over the Next 10 Years
"Boring" Technology Will Reshape Dairy Over the Next 10 Years

Once a technology becomes a boring experience it means it has become proven, well-adopted, and easy to utilize. There are three "boring" technologies silently shaping the industry.

Meat Institute: Properly Prepared Beef is Safe to Eat; HPAI is not a Food Safety Threat
Meat Institute: Properly Prepared Beef is Safe to Eat; HPAI is not a Food Safety Threat

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and USDA food safety experts, properly prepared beef is safe to eat and is not a food safety risk to humans.