History of Buck Animal Hospital

Serving Community for over 85 years!

After almost 75 years on Erb Street, Buck Animal Hospital relocated to Bridgeport Road in 2011 The original premises at 36 Erb St had been a veterinary practice since the mid-1930s when Dr. Joseph E. Johnson was set up in business by the Seagram family to look after their racehorse stable located around Bridgeport Rd and Weber St.

He was a renowned horseman who was on retainer but could do private practice when he was not busy there. He lived in the house and had a dispensary at the back. In 1946 Dr. C. Robert Buck graduated from veterinary school and joined Dr. Johnson. In 1957 Bob Buck and his wife Trudy (a pharmacist) purchased the property and practice from Dr. Johnson. In 1967 Dr. Buck moved out of the house at the front of the house and changed the facility to a full animal hospital.

Dr. Buck had several associates over the years with the longest-serving being Dr. Jim Currie who left in 1974. At this time Dr. James Coleman joined Dr. Buck and not long after Dr. Robert Blackburn joined the practice as a summer student in the summer of 1974. Upon graduation in 1975 Dr. Blackburn joined Dr. Coleman in the purchase of Buck Animal Hospital. Dr. Buck went to work for the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph first in the anatomy department and then in the Dean’s office until his retirement at age 65. Dr. David Soehner joined the partnership in 1981 until his retirement in 2005. Dr. Linda Sommers joined the practice as a part-time associate in 1986 and became a partner when Dr. Coleman retired at the end of 2000.

In 2008 Dr. Laura Galbraith joined the practice as an associate. In 2015 she purchased Dr. Blackburn’s share of the practice as he transitioned to semi-retirement.

Today, Dr. Galbraith owns our continuously growing 6+ veterinarian practice.