Veterinarians have not returned to the New Orleans area in full force in the three years since Hurricane Katrina, but they have reopened or rebuilt enough clinics to serve what is now a smaller community.
Dr. Robert C. Gros, president of the Louisiana VMA during Katrina, is practicing in the region again as a relief veterinarian and manager of an emergency clinic. Now 60, Dr. Gros has chosen not to rebuild his clinic in St. Bernard Parish, which is just south of New Orleans. The hurricane destroyed the building, caving in the roof and walls.
In 2005, Hurricane Katrina destroyed Dr. Robert C. Gros' clinic in St. Bernard Parish. He chose not to rebuild.
His emergency clinic is in nearby Jefferson Parish, which weathered the storm in much better shape. The clinic was closed for a month because residents couldn't return to the area and power was not available. For a few months after reopening, the clinic did not offer services throughout the night. In recent months, though, the clinic has been as busy as before the storm.
Dr. Gros did decide to repair his dream home on the Jordan River in Mississippi. The house was less than a year old when five feet of floodwater caused major damage. Dr. Gros stayed with his sister, with a friend, and finally in a recreational vehicle during almost a year of repairs. He noted that neighbors who repaired their homes improved on the originals.
"My neighborhood's come back better than before the storm," Dr. Gros said.
The residents of St. Bernard Parish continue to struggle, though. Dr. Gros estimates that the population of the parish dropped from 80,000 to 20,000.
"My estimation is about half of those people are unemployed, and they're working on their homes," Dr. Gros said.
Two solo practitioners are operating in the parish, down from five clinics and about nine full-time veterinarians before the hurricane.
Within the city limits of New Orleans, Dr. Gros said, a number of clinics also closed after Katrina. Business was down for the remaining clinics initially but rebounded after a year or so.
"Things are definitely looking better for them," Dr. Gros said.
Bland O'Connor, executive director of the Louisiana VMA, said veterinarians might open more clinics in the region if the demand increases.
"By and large, people have come back to the extent that the practice is supportable in the community," O'Connor said.
Dr. Gros' emergency clinic in Jefferson Parish weathered the storm. Recently, business there has been back to normal. (Photos courtesy of Dr. Robert C. Gros)
Right after the hurricane, O'Connor explained, some veterinarians worked out of temporary facilities or shared space. Contributions poured into the LVMA's Dr. Walter J. Ernst Jr. Veterinary Memorial Foundation. The foundation, in turn, awarded grants and loan guarantees to veterinarians and veterinary staff rebuilding clinics or homes. The American Veterinary Medical Foundation also awarded grants to many local veterinarians.
"From the veterinary community standpoint, we've made a great recovery," O'Connor said. "And I think a lot of it has been just greatly assisted by the help we received really from all over the country."
