Laurie Hess: wallaby wrangler; red-bearded dragon wrestler; modern veterinarian.
She”™s in a business that doesn”™t get more specialized than the veritable ark of Alaskan grey parrots and pythons that frequents her practice on a daily basis.
In just a year, Hess has built up a sizeable following at the Veterinary Center for Birds and Exotics in Bedford Hills ”“ a 2,000-square-foot haven for the bravest of pet owners ”“ that cost her half-a-million dollars to open.
“My digital X-ray machine alone runs over $60,000,” she said. “That”™s one of the reasons I gel very nicely with the other vets in the environment. I don”™t do what they do and they don”™t do what I do and they”™re more than happy to refer business and vice-versa.”
The center is the only American Animal Hospital Association-accredited bird and exotics specialty referral hospital in the state of New York.
Hess”™s background is every bit as diverse as her work.
She is one of 130 bird specialists in the world.
She is a guest expert on Animal Planet”™s “Peculiar Pets 101.”
And, she”™s a trained gymnast who competed in the Empire State Games and won five years in a row in her age category.
Her treated menagerie includes monkeys, chameleons, wallabies and hamsters.
But Hess does not stop there.
“We have a book coming out with anecdotes on being an exotic animal veterinarian and we”™re going to do Martha Stewart”™s show later this month,” she said. “We just did the Eyewitness News morning show ”¦ the idea is to get the word out that people need to treat their exotic pets preventatively as well as provide wellness care.”
The Veterinary Center for Birds and Exotics maintains working partnerships with various organizations, including: Greenburgh Nature Center, Green Chimneys in Brewster and Teatown Lake Reservation.
When Hess worked at the Animal Medical Center in Manhattan, where she completed all of her training and ran the exotic animal department, she had regular dealings with the Bronx Zoo.
“I”™ve had a lot of odd situations,” she said and laughed. “I had a Nile monitor ”“” a lizard “”“ as big as an alligator come in from Allentown, Pa., and got a call in the middle of the night because no one knew how to treat it.”
Hess has not treated a cat or dog since 1994.
Purchasing exotic pets is a trend that seems to “come in waves.”
“It used to be larger birds and we”™re seeing less of that and more cockatiels and little birds because of the economy,” she said. “We see big fad pets like sugar gliders and we see quite a few hedgehogs and reptiles are the rage.”
