06/12/2026
Dr. Hartmann asked us not to give advanced notice of his retirement. He didn’t think he could emotionally handle saying goodbye to each of his loyal clients. So please know he appreciates your trust in him for the last 36 years (34 at Crooked Creek). Here is his letter of intent to retire:
“To my human handlers, some whom I’ve met, some still unknown:
I’ve spent many a year with the dogs and the cats,
Giving scratches on rears and on heads a quick pat.
I’ve checked on their whiskers, their paws, and their tails,
Through barks and through meows and through high-pitched wails.
I’ve looked at their ears and I’ve looked at their teeth,
From the tip of their nose to the fur underneath.
But now, my dear friends, I am ready to say:
"I’m hanging my stethoscope up for the day!"
The time has come now for a different view,
Without any surgery, rabies, or looking at poo.
I’m headed for mountains! I’ll traverse the seas!
To nap in a hammock and do as I please.
I’ll miss all the critters, the big and the small,
And I might just miss every one of you all.
But the clock has gone tick and the clock has gone tock,
And it’s time for this doctor to start ignoring the clock.
My last day of "Vetting" is June 10th plus 2,
Then I’m off on an adventure, to find the new me!
With a wag and a purr and a heart full of glee,
Best wishes to you, from the newly retired me!”
Kent Hartmann, DVM
