'Bolster agriculture': Cambria Veterinary Care opens in West Taylor Township
Apr. 7—As rain started falling during a ribbon cutting for Cambria Veterinary Care's new large animal clinic Saturday, one of the attendees shouted out a thought of encouragement: "It's God's blessing, that's all."
A few seconds later, the scissors snipped, the confetti guns fired and the new business ceremonially opened in West Taylor Township.
The haul-in clinic will offer preventive medicine, sick and emergency intervention, reproductive care, diagnostic testing and imaging, and surgical procedures. Equine services are available. The plan is to eventually expand the operation to include on-site care for food animals.
"We intend to bolster agriculture, grow the local economy, and better animal welfare and improve the quality of life for food and farm animals, as well as in turn for the people that live with them," said Aubrey Vena, the clinic's director. "Together, we are paving the way for a brighter future for large animal medicine in Cambria County and beyond."
Cambria Regional Chamber Vice President Debra Orner said the business is "something that's necessary based on the economy here in Cambria County."
The clinic is located at the site of the former Resurrection Parish Picnic Grove, 926 Cooper Ave.
"Because of its location, it's easily accessible from both Johnstown and the central part of the county," Orner said. "Plus, we always love to see reuse of a site, so that's important to us as well, especially when the former owners of the property show support of it."
"We were so pleased that it can be repurposed — and do I dare say 'resurrected' — into a new life," the Rev. George Gulash, the church's pastor, said. "It will sustain future life in the gift of God's creation, so it is my pleasure to give a prayer of joy and thanksgiving for what has been done and what will be done in this sacred ground."
