Free anniversary event on Oct. 3 will honor clients, pets and two decades of veterinary care.
Twenty years ago, a Plant City native with a veterinary degree and a big idea came home to open a pet hospital. Now Timberlane Pet Hospital & Resort is throwing itself a birthday party, and the whole town is invited.
The free open house is set for St., Oct. 3 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at 1704 Walden Village Ct. Guests can wander through the hospital and resort, meet the team, and see what happens behind the scenes. An ice cream truck will be parked outside from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., because no birthday is complete without a cold treat.
With big crowds, Dr. Christy Layton, the clinic’s chief of staff, said the safest and least stressful plan for their furry patients and friends is a celebration for “the human members of the family.” Then she added, “We love seeing everyone’s pets, but we feel it best for this particular celebration for people to come by, have fun, meet our team, and let us say thank you.”
The open house also doubles as a victory lap. The hospital finished a major renovation earlier this year, and Layton is eager to show off the place and the people in it.
“We wanted to open our doors and give people the opportunity to see all that we have available for their pets,” she said.
Most clients see only the reception area and an exam room. The laboratory, pharmacy, surgery suite, grooming area, daycare, and boarding resort usually stay out of view. “I’m also looking forward to introducing people to our team. I am extremely proud of them,” she said.
Layton, who grew up in Plant City, worked through high school and college as a veterinary technician. She earned her bachelor’s degree in animal biology and her doctorate in veterinary medicine at the University of Florida, graduating in 2001, then worked at Noah’s Ark Animal Hospital in Valrico before opening Timberlane in October 2006.
Pet owner Wendy Wynne has been bringing her pets to Timberland for 19 years. What began as a matter of convenience quickly became a lasting relationship built on trust and affection.
Wynne and her family have had three miniature dachshunds and three black mouth curs over the years.
“Once we met Dr. Layton, we fell in love with her,” she said. “She’s the only vet I will take my animals to. Her heart and the love she has shown our pets is something you can’t replace.”
One of Wynne’s dogs, Anna, died from cancer, but she never forgot the special bond Anna shared with Dr. Layton.
“Every time she saw Dr. Layton, she would willingly give her kisses. She loved her,” Wynne said.
Today, Wynne has Hank, a black mouth cur, who shares the same enthusiasm for visits to Timberlane.
“He gets so excited when he’s there,” she said. “He looks like he’s smiling and wagging his tail.”
For Wynne, the relationship has endured because of the way Dr. Layton and the Timberlane team interact with her pets.
“She shows them so much love and kindness and talks to them,” she said. “They sense she really cares.”
Wynn also boards her pets at Timberlane when she travels, giving her added peace of mind. “I know they’ll receive the best care there,” she said. “They know their needs, and I know they’re in good care.”
Getting to 20 wasn’t a walk in the park. “Honestly, sometimes simply making it to the next milestone has felt like an accomplishment!” Layton said. The clinic opened just two years before the 2008 recession, then faced COVID-19, forcing the team to change how it worked with clients while still delivering care. Along the way, Timberlane added services, grew its resort and grooming operations, and welcomed more veterinarians.
Some things haven’t budged. The mission is the same: compassionate care, client education, safe boarding and respect for the bond between people and their pets. The tools, though, have come a long way. Reminder postcards have given way to an app for tracking vaccinations, reviewing medications, and requesting refills. Appointments can be booked online, and an online pharmacy delivers to your door. The hospital now offers digital radiology, ultrasound, digital dental radiology and cryotherapy, and uses Fear Free and Low Stress Handling techniques to keep nervous patients calmer.
“The technology has changed, but the purpose behind it hasn’t,” Layton said.
The resort boards dogs and cats, and it can handle exams, dental cleanings, lab work, grooming, and medication during a stay. Dogs can also sign up for daycare, complete with supervised play and a doggie pool.
Twenty years in one town makes for long friendships. Layton has met pets at their first puppy or kitten visits and cared for them for life. She now treats animals owned by adults who came to Timberlane as kids. “I sometimes joke that I’ve become ‘the other family doctor,’” she said.
Then there were the hurricanes, when staff, friends and family bunked down inside the hospital to look after pets in the clinic’s care. “Those were stressful and sometimes frightening nights,” Layton said, “but they also created some memories and friendships that I will never forget.”
Beyond the clinic, Layton is a past president and board member of the Hillsborough County Veterinary Medical Society, chairs the Florida Veterinary Medical Association’s Animal Welfare Committee and serves as treasurer of the Hillsborough Animal Health Foundation. The FVMA gave her its Gold Star award in 2013, and in 2015 she was voted America’s Favorite Veterinarian in a nationwide contest. Not bad for a hometown vet.
She gives the credit to the community. “We simply would not be here without this community,” Layton said. Clients recommend Timberlane to friends, bring in new pets, and keep coming back year after year, which she said keeps her learning and improving.
As for the next 20 years, she’s thinking big-picture and small. “Veterinary medicine and technology will certainly continue to change, and I hope Timberlane continues to change along with it while never losing the personal relationships and compassion that have always been at the heart of our hospital.”
Personally, she hopes to still be practicing in 2046, perhaps part-time, with more room in the schedule for showing her dogs and traveling with her husband, Mike.
“If, 20 years from now, Timberlane is still helping families enjoy more healthy years with the pets they love, I will consider that a tremendous success,” she said.
For details about Timberlane Pet Hospital & Pet Resort or its open house, call 813-754-7387 or visit timberlanevet.com.
