The Dr. Hendersons of Animal Planet’s new family-focused reality series talk about vet life and the responsibility it entails in this interview with Dog O’Day.
Fox Hollow Animal Hospital rose to fame after a video of Dr. Ross Henderson serenading a patient went viral two years ago, and now Animal Planet is debuting a reality series following the Dr. Hendersons.
That would be Dr. Ross, his older brother Dr. Ryan and their dad, Dr. Tony. Along with two other non-related vets and a dedicated team of technicians and assistants (one of whom is youngest brother Cole) they serve the Denver suburb of Lakewood, Colorado, at Fox Hollow.
The tight-knit, fun-loving trio of doctors were kind enough to do a phone interview with Dog O’Day ahead of the premiere for Hanging with the Hendersons, the transcript is provided below, slightly edited for clarity.
Dog O’Day – What was the filming process like?
Dr. Ross – “I think that the filming process was exciting in a lot of ways, it obviously took a little bit of getting used to, I mean, we’re just kind of in our small little world trying to be vets in a family practice working together, and then to do that, having cameras around and things took a little bit of getting used to, but honestly our production team was so amazing.
“Not only were they huge animal lovers, but they really didn’t like, have us do anything outside of what we were already doing, so we were just able to be ourselves and they were more like enormous flies on the wall.”
Dr. Tony – “The reason it worked so well – my concern as a business owner was the flow of appointments and time phases, but Ryan and Ross and myself all came in on our day off and if there was anything that needed specific camera accommodation it was well-attended by that extra person who was floating just for the sake of the hospital. So it had little or no impact on our appointment schedule, which made me very happy, clients very happy, and they enjoyed the experience, too. It was a great experience.”
Dr. Ryan – “Yeah, also, that’s just kind of how we function normally, like, if someone gets an appointment that ends up turning into a surgery, then they might miss their appointments that they were supposed to see, and so we’re used to picking up those appointments to help our family members and coworkers. And so there’s maybe a little bit of that, if need be But that wasn’t anything out of the normal, though.”
What would you say is the most rewarding part of your job?
Dr. Ross – “If I had to try to piece together or simplify the most rewarding part of our job, I think it’s the fact that you enter into an area of people’s lives that matters and gives so much purpose and fulfillment.
“And with that, obviously, there’s a cost cause there’s a weight to that, and as far as trying to steward that responsibility, but in general I feel like it’s – growing up with my dad, seeing it firsthand, I think the best way to put it is it turned from an interest into a kind of calling, just being able to have access to people and their family members is really, really fulfilling.
“And as a side note, which we also noticed with all the cameras, too, is that we do really cool stuff all the time that we often forget about, and I think this whole process has just been really cool, reflecting on how cool our job actually is.”
Dr. Ryan – “You’d think our answer would be, y’know, saving animals and all, and really that is one of the most rewarding things, but Ross is so right, the big thing is really the people connections, like Ross said. That was a very good answer.”
Dr. Tony – “When I was 14 years old I was going to be an architect/artist – we have a lot of artistic qualities in our family – and I was given the opportunity to spend the day in a veterinary office, and in that short period of time I went 180 degrees, I gave up art, I started studying chemistry (which I absolutely hate). And so the point of the story is that I actively encourage young people to spend the day at the veterinarian.
“The beauty of the TV show now is that I hopefully be able to show people now what we do on a daily basis, and how we do it, and with whom we do it. I’m really excited because it gives kids a chance to mentally shadowing us, maybe giving them a different goal in life. That in itself is really rewarding.”
Dr. Ross – “Wow, yeah. Dad just brought up a point that I’d never thought of, Like, thinking about the possibility that somebody who might watch the show, that it could change the trajectory of their life…is pretty stinking humbling. That’s wild to think about.”
Growing up in Ireland, was James Herriot was an influence on you, Dr. Tony?
Dr. Tony – “Our catalogs in the past have gone, ‘This is the James Herriot of Colorado,’ because everything that happened to James Herriot happened to me, because I did large animals – horses, cows, sheep, pigs back in Ireland. I moved here [to America] in 1977, and I also did small animals.
“If you’ve read any of the James Herriot books, those are funny, they’re inspirational, they’re gratifying, they’re sad, they’re happy. Everybody in the UK wishes they were smart enough to have written those books like James Herriot, it happened to all of us, but he wrote a book and now he’s famous. [Laughs] Great books, great read.”
What are you hoping the audience will get from the show?
Dr. Ross – “I think my hope and desire for the people who watch the show is that they get, like, a renewed sense of excitement about animals that they already own, maybe an interest in animals that are out of their comfort zone, cause they’ll very much be seeing us getting out of our comfort zone and experiencing new experiences that come with our being veterinarians, which is really cool. But generally speaking, if people can watch this and feel like a child again, I think that that would be a success in my book.
Dr. Tony – “The one thing that had dawned on me after we had completed filming was our exposure and involvement with all the rescue groups, such as the homeless people of downtown Denver. A lot of these rescue groups, most of the population aren’t even aware that these people exist, and the amount of exposure they’re gonna get through the show is gonna be a great revenue builder, they’re going to get a lot more support from people and funding, and after the show, I’m going, ‘Wow, I didn’t even realize how great an impact this is going to have for all those groups.’”
Dr. Ryan – “Maybe adding on to what my dad said earlier, I think it’s going to be a great representation of what the veterinary life is. I mean, our situation’s a little unique, cause there’s family and all that involved, but hopefully we get to inspire a younger generation, we get to give them an honest representation of what it’s like to be a veterinarian.
“I mean, it’s not always just kissing puppies and playing with kittens. It gets a little tense and there’s a lot of communication with actual humans, and it’s not just interacting with animals all the time. So that will be a benefit, too, that I’m excited about.”
Dog O’Day – So you guys operate out of Denver?
Dr. Ross – “Yeah, Lakewood, it’s about twenty minutes west of Denver.”
Dr. Ryan – “It’s really cool, though, we really kind of pride ourselves in not pressuring clients, giving them options, and we’re starting to get a lot of good reviews on Google or Yelp or whatever, and we’re starting to pull a lot of people in from Denver cause they see us and they’re like, ‘Oh, what’s a 20-minute drive out to Lakewood?’ So yeah, we do have Denver clients, but we are in Lakewood.”
When did the clinic open?
Dr. Tony – “I’ll answer that one, because it was 8 a.m. on the morning of the sixth of November, 1996.
That is really specific.
Dr. Tony – “It was a very important day of my life because I was filled with excitement and I didn’t have too many worries, cause I was prepared, cause I was trying to teach my sons that that’s a very important skill to have in life, and the rest is history.”
Dr. Ryan – “In all honesty, I can’t even imagine being my dad during that time, because you had four kids then? And you managed –“
Dr. Tony – “Walked away from a very secure well-paying job with no responsibilities [sons laugh] into the pit of financial peril.”
Dr. Ross – “And he started this business, when we could’ve been, like, out on the streets…”
Dr. Tony – “Well, there are a couple of tents in the basement.”
Dr. Ross – “That was your backup plan?”
What is a misconception that you find the general public has about veterinary medicine?
Dr. Ryan – “I mean, one unfortunate misconception is that – I don’t know, like, we’re trying to make money. But that’s actually the opposite of Fox Hollow’s MO – like, literally, our dad has taught us since we were shadowing him as vet students that we need to give our clients options. Everyone’s in a different financial spot, we’ll work with rescues, we’ll even work with people who don’t have money.
“And it is sad, I might be out and about, and people are like, ‘Oh, veterinarians, they just like to –‘ And I’m like, ‘No! We’re in this to save animals, for the client connection.” It can break my heart when I hear stuff like that, because that’s so far from the truth.”
Dr. Tony – “Well, I’ve been a veterinarian for 41 years, and a business owner for 22. Out of those 22 years, there’s been times living paycheck to paycheck when you have children, and I think if you just steer the course and be true to yourself and be compassionate and careful, the bills will get taken care of.
“After 41 years, you know, I’m getting close to retirement, I think it’s okay for me to go out and buy a new truck. In other words, I think I deserve it. [Laughs] Originally I had a $75 Volkswagen that I drove Ryan and Ross around in –“
Dr. Ross – “Didn’t it only have three wheels?”
Dr. Tony – “When I bought it, it only had three wheels, yes. I appreciate people and their financial situation, I tell clients in really awkwrd situations, they have financial limits and they have limits to what their dogs are due, so that’s what I often tell young parents. We’re in tune on most of those cases.”
Dr. Ross – “I think one of the big misconceptions that people don’t realize, though, about veterinary medicine is the emotional toll that it takes. It’s an amazing, great job, and it has a lot of purpose, and there’s a lot of passion in it, but at the same time that weight can oftentimes feel overwhelming.
“Actually, when I was in vet school, they’re actually including courses now on the seriousness of, like, how hard the job is, second to dentists and stuff in terms of environmental depression and things like that.
“That’s a hard one to navigate, but the reality is that we take our job very serious, and that costs. A lot. It’s a job that doesn’t turn off on the emotional side, and I think that sometimes people can see us and go, ‘Hey, your job must be awesome, you play with puppies all the time!’ But when you’ve got dogs that you’ve fallen in love with that aren’t doing well….it’s easy to get completely consumed in a lot of ways, especially as a new vet like me. It was very good to have the advice of my dad and my brother to find some balance on that.”
Dog O’Day – What advice would you give to those interested in a career in animal medicine?
Dr. Ryan – “We have teenagers who shadow us, high school, college kids. My biggest recommendation is, I kind of already said it, but you kind of have to, at least if you’re a general practitioner, you do have to enjoy people’s company. You do have to actually talk to people. A big part of the job is that client connection, and it’s not just about the animals. Obviously loving animals is very important, but you also gotta love the owners behind those animals and get along with them.”
Dr. Tony – “People skills. You can be the nicest guy in the world and be a veterinarian, and as long as you get along with people and do well at that part of communicating. Or you could be a brilliant technician, surgeon, academic, with no bedside manner, and nobody will like you. Sure, it’s always nice to have a little grind, but communication skills are probably one of the most important things in veterinary medicine.
Dr. Ross – “My little add-on is to get proactive and really into it, to get a grasp of what is involved. And that’s gonna take experience. So I think if they’re young, shadowing, if they’re teenagers, then volunteering at places that involve animals, shelters, vet clinics, sanctuaries. If they’re in university, then they might even get more access and an even deeper look. Kind of count the cost of doing things. And do well in school.”
How many episodes will the show run?
Dr. Ross – “We’ve got twelve episodes, starts this Friday at 9 p.m. ET. We’re super excited. Make sure everybody watches, it’s gonna be the coolest show they’ve ever seen.”
Dr. Tony – “They are an hour, so make sure everyone knows that.”
Dr. Ross – “Right, they are an hour with commercials. There’s about 44 minutes or so of footage per episode.”
So because we’re a dog website, I got to ask – do you guys have a favorite dog breed?
Dr. Ross – “Uh…mine’s a very meek hybrid, it’s called a Vizsla/English Retriever. Which is exactly what my dog is.”
Dr. Ryan – “I currently have four dogs with my fiancée Natalia, so…I can’t pick, I’m so sorry. [Laughs] It would be a disservice to three of ‘em!”
Dr. Tony – “The British Golden Retriever Lord Barrington, you will see some of his escapades on the Animal Planet Facebook – they have a special on him, cause he’s my dog – He’s pretty awesome, has zero anxiety, weighs 107 pounds (which is not overweight), he’s very, very nice-“
Dr. Ross – “He’s literally sleeping at our feet right now.”
Dr. Tony – “He’s a good therapy dog, God forbid that I ever need therapy, though.”
Any final thoughts you’d like to add?
Dr. Tony – ““In 41 years I have never regretted joining this profession, and after 41 years I still love coming to work, and that’s a testimony to my family, and the staff, and the public. It works out absolutely great, it’s like seeing old friends when I come to work, and their animals and their family. It’s marvelous.”
Again, the premiere episode of Hanging with the Hendersons airs on Animal Planet on Friday, January 11 at 9 p.m. ET. You’ll love spending time with the Dr. Hendersons and the whole Fox Hollow clan.
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