10/10/2026
Some Things Never Change. ❤️
This December, Animal Care Center at Stonebridge Ranch will celebrate 24 years of caring for pets and the people who love them.
Over those years, we’ve watched puppies grow old, kittens become senior citizens, families grow, and beloved companions leave us. Thousands of patients have come through our doors. Every one has a story.
But these four? They’re particularly special.
Stella, Midnight, Leia, and Buzz.
Stella, Midnight, and Leia were three of the sweetest Labradors I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. They were gentle, loving, and an absolute joy to work with. And they were adored by their family.
Stella came first. We helped her cross the Rainbow Bridge in 2005.
Then came Midnight. We cared for her from 2006 to 2017. More than a decade of seeing her name on our appointment schedule and looking forward to her visits.
Leia joined our lives in 2019. Her family moved away in 2022, but that didn’t make hearing about her passing a few years later any easier.
And then there was Buzz.
Oh, Buzz.
Buzz was a stray cat adopted from our hospital. While he lived with us, he was an absolute sweetheart.
Apparently, he decided that once he’d secured permanent housing, he no longer needed to maintain that particular personality.
Buzz was legendary.
He drew blood. He sent more than one employee to urgent care. He required complete sedation for examinations, and even getting close enough to sedate him was an adventure.
But at home?
Perfect gentleman.
He’d let us do practically anything.
So Buzz became my one and only house-call patient. Fortunately, his family lived close to the hospital. We’d arrange his appointments at the end of the day, and we’d joke about finishing work with margaritas by the pool.
I never did get those margaritas.
After Stella passed, her family sent us a photograph. I hung it in our treatment area as a reminder of why we do what we do.
Over the years, the photographs multiplied. Midnight joined Stella. Then Buzz. And Leia.
Four faces. One family. Decades of memories.
They became part of our hospital.
Our recent renovation changed a lot of things. New floors, new paint, new spaces, and a completely refreshed look.
But it didn’t change the heart of this place.
And when it came time to find a new home for these photographs, we knew they deserved something special.
So now they have their own shelf.
A little piece of our history, watching over the hospital.
To their family, thank you. Thank you for trusting us with the animals you loved so dearly, for sharing their lives with us, and for allowing us to remember them every day.
For nearly 24 years, we’ve practiced veterinary medicine with compassion, empathy, and a healthy dose of humor.
We’ve loved thousands of animals along the way.
Even the ones who didn’t particularly love us back.
Especially Buzz. ❤️
