Veterinarian Overview
Dr. Thomas Kevin Parell is the owner of St. Francis' Pet Hospital. He is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Animal Hospital Association, the Indiana Veterinary Medical Association and the Montana Veterinary Medical Association, and his professional interests include surgery, dentistry, alternative medicine and general veterinary medicine. Dr. Parell opened St. Francis' Pet Hospital's first location in 1993, and its second location in 1996."I enjoy developing long-term relationships with pets and their human families," says Dr. Parell. "I do this by not just talking about their pet's needs, but also about how life is treating the client and his or her family. I enjoy talking to kids about setting life goals and how to go about attaining them. I comfort owners at the critical times in making tough decisions regarding their pet's care, and I use these special opportunities to share with them my beliefs in the meaning of life and the important role their pet is designed to play in their lives. Pets are examples of the manifestation of unconditional love, learning to cherish each day, and not to be anxious about tomorrow or fearful about yesterday."Dr. Parell attended St. Benedict's Prep School in Newark, NJ in "one of the roughest neighborhoods in the city," he says. He then attended Villanova University and Dickenson College for his undergraduate degree in psychology with a minor in chemistry. After graduating Magna Cum Laude, he decided to pursue veterinary medicine after spending the day at a local veterinary clinic. "That was the 'God shot' of my life," he says. He attended the Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine, earning his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 1981.Dr. Parell and his wife Barbara share their home with two dogs, Trapper and Alba; five horses, Honor, Ginger, Rapha, Braveheart, and Remington; as well as multiple barn and front porch cats and chickens. Together, they have five children and two grandchildren. In his free time Dr. Parell enjoys telemark skiing, flying, photography, fly fishing, and hiking.
