The Pender Veterinary Clinic

The images are all about caring. In the parking lot, there is a statue of a dog, head cocked, ready to go for a walk. In the lobby, a painting honors the rescue dogs that died on September 11th. On the bulletin boards, colorful posters remind customers of the ferret wellness program.

This is the Pender Veterinary Clinic, a 24-hour a day, 365 day a year hospital for cats, dogs, and exotic pets.

This full service clinic and emergency hospital, sits on a sunny hill near Route 50, about two miles from the Fairfax County Government Center. The veterinary staff performs routine work like laser declawing of cats (photo), dental work on dogs, and ultrasound. There is an in house laboratory and pharmacy.

The Pender clinic has been important to the community ever since it was started in the Pender Methodist Church more than thirty years ago. In 1997, the Pender Caring Foundation was founded to promote animal well-being. This non- profit works to “raise the standards of veterinary care” by funding research, education, adoption programs, and free care for sick and injured animals.

A memorial in front of the clinic represents Pender’s life-long commitment to animals. A bronze statue of a child holding his beloved pet is the centerpiece of the garden. Pet owners can buy a brick to place in the walkway in memory of their deceased pet. Pender donates the money raised to the Cornell University School of Veterinary Medicine.