The barks of dogs echoed throughout the cavernous room on a chilly December morning in Hanover County.
This, however, was not the intended use of the bay when it was built in 1969 to house Farrington Volunteer Fire Department vehicles.
When a new firehouse opened in 2009 about a half-mile west on U.S. 33 in Hanover, the old location on Farrington Road sat largely unused, and the sounds of roaring engines and blaring sirens faded into memory.
The Jessica Beath Clinic at Farrington Firehouse was established to provide low-cost spay and neuter surgeries for dogs and cats. The clinic is a service of BARK (Bandit's Adoption & Rescue of K-9s,) a Hanover-based dog rescue group founded by Denise and Bob Tillack.
Since opening in October, nearly 25 surgeries a day have been performed in the clinic, but there is a capacity to handle as many as 50. Ideally, said Bob Tillack, the clinic will be open five days a week when business picks up.
It is currently performs surgeries on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
"The availability of low-cost spay and neuter services was pretty scarce," he said.
Until the Jessica Beath Clinic opened, BARK took its rescue animals awaiting adoption to the Richmond SPCA for the surgeries. Now, it's a much shorter trip than traveling into the heart of Richmond.
BARK had always wanted to set up a clinic, and it is called a natural extension of the organization's animal rescue efforts.
"It was a nice confluence of events. There was this wonderful building nearby … that would serve the outer ring of Richmond that is underserved," said Eric Kaplan, BARK project coordinator.
The clinic also offers municipalities a place to take their pets awaiting adoption.
Tillack said Orange County has a standing appointment to bring its animals, while Hanover and Henrico counties also bring pets from their animal shelters to the clinic for the procedures before being adopted.
Kaplan said spaying and neutering pets is about the animal's welfare.
"That's an easy fit in terms of … reducing euthanasia and promoting responsible pet ownership," he said.
Veterinarian Erin Barron designed the state-of-the-art clinic and oversaw the space's transformation.
The conversion and low-cost procedures are possible through grants from the Richmond-based nonprofit Jessica Beath Foundation, PetSmart Charities and the Two Mauds Foundation.
The surgery and prep areas are enclosed in glass to provide the ability to look into the wheeled cages where each animal waits for or recovers from the procedures. The clinic also features two heated surgery tables.
"I love the tall the ceilings and that open floor plan," said Barron, who also is the clinic's director. "If there is one we're worried about, we can turn the cage around and watch them all afternoon."
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