New full service animal treatment center founded by Army veteran veterinarian will open in July

WASILLA — The veterinary veteran, Dr. Sean McPeck, D.V.M, will open the doors to his new, “all in one” veterinary clinic July 14.

Nestled off the Parks Highway on Blue Lupine Drive, Tier 1 Veterinary Medical Center will be the largest animal clinic in the Mat-Su Valley, and according to McPeck, it will also be home to continued education for both clinicians and the general public, to stint the tide of “brain drain” and retain the talent and expertise within the state.

At 12,000 square feet, Tier 1 will not only be the largest veterinary complex in the Valley but according to McPeck, it will be the biggest one in the state.

Tier 1 will be open around the clock, 24 hours per day, seven days per week. There will be at least two vans operating as mobile ambulances for animals, McPeck said. He noted that he hopes to work with other veterinary clinics and that they don’t see him as competition but as an asset. He said he is eager to share his mobile care unit with the surrounding clinics but he still has to talk it over with them.

McPeck called Tier 1 a “learning hospital” that will cover a wide range of classes and workshops. These classes will be available to medical professionals as well as anyone from the community who wants to sharpen their skills or learn something new. Once the facility is open, McPeck said there will be a calendar filled with classes to choose from, year-round. With pets and animals at the center, there will be classes ranging from diet and nutrition to wilderness first aid and CPR, offering “something for everyone,” McPeck said.

As the contractors are finishing the last touches of the facility, new staff is already getting trained to prepare for the grand opening.

McPeck said he is working with the Mat-Su College to train his staff with proficient client communication skills to avoid communication breakdowns, since pet owners facing death or expensive surgical fees have a tendency to become emotional, he said.

McPeck’s vision for an educational facility played out in the infrastructure. There will be two public observation bays, one to view live surgery and the other to watch pets rehabilitate.

There is a surgical room with a high ceiling and window at the top so anyone can observe an operation from above.

McPeck said he really wanted an “all-in-one” gauntlet of care, so he made sure to have a full-service canine conditioning and rehabilitation area, complete with artificial turf, treadmills and a café’ and observation deck above the turf so students, clinicians, or pet owners can see the specialist at work, or potentially implement what they see at home or in their own medical practice.

In addition to regular treadmills, the area will also feature an underwater treadmill.

McPeck said, like humans, dogs suffer from secondary health conditions once they become overweight. During Alaska’s dark, winter months, McPeck said, that is common. Pet owners tend to become more sedentary in the winter and their pets suffer for it, McPeck said.

McPeck said veterinarians and other skilled trades are suffering from “brain drain” and the talent we breed here has a way of leaving state, leaving roles in the community unfilled and need left unmet. He said he hopes that his new facility will help foster local talent and keep it home.

“Most do go out of state for their education and a lot of times, they don’t come home,” McPeck said.

McPeck retired from the Army in 2016. He began his military career in 1996, and has since worked his way through various leadership positions, both active duty, National Guard, enlisted, and as an officer. His experience in the military focused heavily on canines, spanning 18 years of various works with the dogs of duty.

While in service, McPeck oversaw the construction of canine kennels, built and ran a veterinary field hospital, received canine MEDEVACs at every level, conducted numerous life saving surgeries, and provided point of care veterinary support during direct action operations on high value targets.

McPeck has a lengthy history with both combat and training scenarios. He was a special operations veterinarian with a series of milestones and firsts for his field, “taking care of the ones without a voice.”

For years, he was accountable for all the preventative care, nutrition, and husbandry of hundreds of military working dogs. McPeck launched the first Comprehensive Canine Conditioning Program, still in use by multiple SOCOM units.

McPeck has two dogs and a cat of his own. He said he isn’t a dog or cat person, he’s an animal person. He noted the interconnected history of humans and animals. Much of civilization as we know it came from work horses, cows, mules, dogs, and cats- providing labor, nourishment and companionship, he said.

“One of the only times you get to choose a family member when you choose a pet,” McPeck said.

The grand opening and ribbon cutting for Tier 1 Veterinary Medical Center is July 14 at 1 p.m. McPeck said the Alaska National Guard will join others to welcome the new facility.

For more information, visit tier1vet.com.