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In the surgery room at BarkWell, veterinarian Nicole Lenz makes preparations for the grand opening of her animal care center at 520 S. Interocean Ave. — The Holyoke Enterprise | Johnson Publications

BarkWell Animal Care Center grand opening planned Feb. 2

    After sitting empty for years, the brick building at 520 S. Interocean Ave. is having new life breathed into it by veterinarian Nicole Lenz. Though she describes the months of renovations she’s completed with the help of her father a “labor of love,” she’s looking forward to finally opening the building to the public Saturday, Feb. 2, 8-11 a.m.
    That morning will mark the grand opening of BarkWell Animal Care Center. Dr. Nicole, as she’s known, invites the community to stop by, meet the team and see what’s been done to the place. On that day, Lenz will also begin scheduling appointments, and the center will be open for business Monday, Feb. 4.
    For starters, BarkWell will be open during normal business hours. There may also be weekend and evening hours scheduled, but Lenz will be announcing a finalized schedule at the grand opening. For the time being, she will not offer emergency on-call services, but it’s something the care center could potentially grow into down the road, she said.
    Driving Lenz in the opening of the new care center is “keeping pets on paths to wellness.” In her previous work, Lenz worked with large animals, but she’s come to realize that her passion is in caring for small animals. She’s particularly drawn to the internal medicine and soft-tissue surgery.
    In caring for small animals, she gets to focus on more in-depth treatment of chronic and complex medical conditions such as diabetes. Lenz recognizes that to some folks, a pet is more like a family member, and she wants to help them live long productive lives.
    At BarkWell, pet owners can schedule the basic routine appointments for shots, check-ups, wellness exams and the like. Typically procedures, such as spaying and neutering can be scheduled as well, and of course, Lenz is available during business hours for those emergency situations that arise.
    In addition, Lenz envisions BarkWell becoming a one-stop shop for pet owners in the area. A retail area will have pet food, especially for those pets that require a specialized diet. Digital X-ray and an on-site lab mean that most diagnostic results will be available on the same day. BarkWell’s pharmacy will also allow prompt receipt of necessary medications.
    Though still in the works, Lenz expects to offer grooming and boarding at BarkWell in the near future as well.

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Holyoke Enterprise

970-854-2811 (Phone)

130 N Interocean Ave
PO Box 297
Holyoke CO 80734