Boxes still are being unpacked in his new home, but that doesn’t faze Duncan, the in-house cat at Seven Oaks Pet Hospital.
He’s content to catnap in his bed, atop a desk, while others do the heavy lifting.
For veterinarian Sree Reddy, the new location for Seven Oaks is a dream more than three years in the making.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)
Physically, the animal clinic is just about a half-mile from its previous location.
But, Reddy has come a long way since opening Seven Oaks in a shopping center, off State Road 56, nearly a decade ago.
In its new and more spacious building, the veterinary clinic is getting a fresh start, and adding to the growing retail boom along the state highway.
“We decided we were outgrowing our location,” said Reddy. “If two people were up front, it was full. We actually had people waiting outside.”
At about 5,000 square feet, Seven Oaks Pet Hospital is more than doubling its previous size.
Reddy made an immediate decision to buy a large plot of land when it went on the market. It fit perfectly with the desire to stay near his customer base, and to also do retail.
The new hospital has an expansive waiting area, five examination rooms, an isolation room, surgery, boarding and grooming services, and state-of-the art-technology, including the ability to do on-site ultra sounds.
More than a pet hospital, the Pet & Fit Center is a commercial center, on a prime spot at 27027 State Road 56, around the corner from Buffalo Wild Wings and a short distance from The Shops at Wiregrass and Tampa Premium Outlets.
Reddy plans to open Pet Depot next door to his clinic. He will take his time, stocking the shop with pet food and accessories that his clients want.
Reddy plans to focus on American-made products, but he said, “I want to carry what my clients want,” he said. “Our goal is to mimic our neighborhood.”
Next door to the pet shop, another storefront is leased to a self-defense school – Hammerfist Krav Maga.
A nearly 12,000-square-foot building behind the clinic will soon be home to CrossFit14, a gymnasium relocating also from Cypress Village’s plaza.
A ribbon cutting and grand opening probably is two months to three months away.
Reddy treats his four-legged patients with traditional methods and medications, but he also is passionate about holistic treatments such as acupuncture and Chinese herbs.
He also offers less invasive surgeries of laser and laparoscopy.
The Eastern-influenced treatments, including acupuncture, are especially useful for dogs with hip dysplasia, seizures or arthritis.
The hospital also offers house calls, and annual wellness plans to help with pet expenses.
His staff works with several animal rescue groups, including ones for Labrador retrievers and greyhounds. The clinic also does free work for the Pasco County Animal Shelter, including some bone surgeries and X-rays.
Reddy’s passion for caring for animals began in India with summers spent at his grandparents’ farm, populated with cows, goats and sheep.
He got his veterinary degree at Tuskegee University in Alabama.
He also did research at the National Animal Disease Center in Ames, Iowa, where Reddy said as many as 500 veterinarians worked together at the federally funded facility.
But, he opted to move from research into a veterinary practice in 2001.
Reddy opened a clinic in Clearwater in 2004, and three years later moved to Wesley Chapel. It was a positive experience settling into a community where, Reddy said, families have strong bonds and see their pets as part of the family.
His goal is to make his hospital and veterinary practice part of that.
“I want to make relationships,” he said.
Published April 6, 2016
