Story by Pat Atkinson
Area veterinarians share open homes, open hearts, and wide open spaces with a variety of four-footed family members.
Horses, dogs, and cats are most numerous, and there’s a scattering of rodents, reptiles, birds, and fish making themselves right at home among the vets’ pets.
And much of the time, special pets of yesteryear guided their humans to the path to veterinary medicine.
We thought you’d like to hear some personal pet talk about these furred, feathered, finned family members.
Dr. Melissa Montgomery
Head Vet at the Big and Tiny Zoo
Dr. Montgomery says senior citizen Wellington, a Morgan, "seems to know what I'm thinking" during their 23-year relationship.
There should be a sign in front of the rolling acreage south of Jenks welcoming all visitors to “The Big and Tiny Zoo,” which is what Dr. Melissa Montgomery’s daughter calls the family home.
That figures. In residence are five cats, three dogs (from a big Mastiff to a little Pomeranian mix), four Morgan horses (all big!), and various smaller species including birds, rodents, and latest arrival Mr. Fishy, a red Beta.
Dr. Montgomery, in private practice for about 20 years, is now the Tulsa SPCA’s veterinarian where there’s no shortage of dogs and cats in need of a foster (or permanent) home. And, yes, a few have “followed” her home.
The group’s longest-timer is Morgan horse Wellington, age 27, who moved into Dr. Montgomery’s life 23 years ago. “He seems to know what I am thinking,” she says. “He takes care of our (3) children when they ride him, so he has a special place in our hearts. And now he goes into his stall and looks around as if to say, ‘Why did I come in here?’ just like I do in the house!”
Other “special” furry friends include Gwyneth, an unforgettable English Mastiff rescued from death row at a municipal shelter (her name means “love and happiness”) who shares 125 pounds of unconditional canine love, and Owen, a most “Garfield-like” cat who once kissed Dr. Montgomery just above the left eyebrow, the exact spot where she kisses him.
Another equine, a pony named Beauty, was this young country girl’s first pet, shared with her brother and sister. “Beauty was old and kind of lame, but she and I explored the county together. As I got older, I would take off on her and be gone all afternoon. I am profoundly grateful to my parents for allowing me that independence.”
After leaving for college, she missed the many family farm animals and soon found that majoring in veterinary medicine “became attractive as a way to be in contact with many animals, but not necessarily have to support them! So, I guess all the dogs, cats, horses, cows and other animals that I grew up with brought me to my life’s work.”
And about that “Big and Tiny Zoo” name. When daughter Bonnie was 3, she had a plan to charge admission to the “Zoo,” but Mom would get in free since her job was to vet the animals!
Dr. Montgomery, formerly in private practice, is veterinarian for the Tulsa SPCA.
In our Winter issue we asked you to send in the ways in which you spoil your pet. Okay, here are some of the better responses we received. We’ve just included first names to avoid any embarrassments!
It’s half-way through the day at Spay Oklahoma, the veterinarian just finishing spay and neuter surgery on 15 dogs. Next on the table: 23 cats. 
My name is Mulligan. It used to be Bella. I’m two years old, and for most of that time I lived in a breeding kennel. My main purpose was to have puppies so that my owners could sell them. I didn’t have much to do with people. Basically I was fed, bred and ignored. I was by myself most of the time, except when I was put with male dogs. I lived in a wire kennel with concrete floors. Life was not fun.
Have you ever wondered just how many dogs or cats your neighbor really has? If you are an animal lover and have noticed nothing amiss, then you probably have not. However, not everyone is so accepting and often someone is reported for having too many pets. But just how many are too many?
During his career, Hero has apprehended many criminal suspects, the majority of which involve burglary and auto theft crimes. He made the Broken Arrow streets a little safer one day early last February. A business owner reported he had seen a suspicious looking man hiding in a wooded area behind his store. Scott and Hero received a call to assist other patrol officers in locating the man. When the suspect realized he’d been seen, he took off and jumped a fence into a residential neighborhood. Scott took Hero to the wooded area where the suspect was last seen, and Hero’s training kicked in. He tracked through the woods, jumped the same fence as the suspect (with Scott) and stopped at a vacant house, where the backdoor was slightly ajar. Hero and Scott entered the house, and Hero circled around and around in the garage, showing interest in the pull down stairs leading to the attic. Scott pulled the stairs down and helped Hero climb up, and they found their suspect. After he was apprehended, Hero searched the attic for anything the man could have hidden. Hero found a shotgun shell in the insulation in the same part of the attic where the suspect was found. The man denied having a shotgun with him, but the officers thought he had probably gotten rid of in while in pursuit. The police later learned that the man was wanted in Tulsa County for several outstanding warrants. It was determined that Hero most probably prevented an armed robbery that day.
