When we think of bringing our beloved pet to a vet, we often think of cold metal tables, rushed appointments and medications thrown at you on the way out the door. This has been my experience for the last 10 plus years as a pet owner. I would find myself leaving these appointments with unanswered questions and more confusion than when I arrived.

Fast forward to July 2021, on a Friday morning my husband and I were alarmed to find both of our dogs very sick. We had just moved to the area and still had not settled on a vet. We were completely unsure of what to do. I had a brief thought to myself, remembering that months ago I had grabbed a pamphlet from one of the nearby pet stores that read, “Arya Animal Acupuncture”. I had stored it in my junk drawer and didn’t think about it again until this moment. Little did I know, remembering this pamphlet would soon change our lives for the better.

We called in tears and explained that both our dogs were in bad shape, and they instructed us to come in that day. To my surprise, when we arrived, it was all hands on deck. The incredible vet staff and Dr. Bhatt not only had dog beds on the ground waiting for us, but they immediately turned their attention to the dogs — all while tending to us and asking if we wanted anything to drink. “What am I witnessing?” I thought to myself. I was shocked that the vet staff was on the floor and at eye level with my dogs. 

The care and devotion to our pups Riley and Tucker only grew from there. Not only did Dr. Bhatt cure both of them from what seemed like near death, but she and her team have been instrumental in helping our senior dogs age gracefully and as healthy as possible.

Because our boys are older, we frequent Arya, sometimes on a weekly basis. We can truly say that we love Dr. Bhatt, Ashley, Weronika, Tori and Halia. My husband and I have never met a veterinarian or vet techs who are so caring, kind, smart, devoted and genuine. Each one of them brings something unique to the practice. Every appointment they make us feel we are their only clients that day (but we certainly are not!). They ask detailed questions, educate us and are always cognizant of our goals for our dogs. 

They tend to our dogs in a way we’ve never experienced before. We love that they practice integrative and traditional medicine alongside each other. They educate their pet parents along the way while explaining every medication and diagnosis. They are detailed, thorough and never rush us out the door. 

Most recently, our almost 16-year-old gave us a scare and we had a very difficult weekend with him preparing our goodbyes. Not only did they get our beloved dog in immediately, but Dr. Bhatt came over after a full workday to do a home visit, followed by her coming over again on a Sunday to invest her time in our precious dog’s health in what seemed like this final day. Her devotion to our dog when she should be relaxing and enjoying her time off is something we will cherish forever and never take for granted. She is truly a special person. Every time we walk into Arya Animal Acupuncture, I feel I can breathe a sense of relief just knowing I am in their presence. And when we walk out, I feel comforted and supported, having gained more knowledge about my pet’s health. 

The love and care they have given me and my family is unparalleled. We are so grateful to them. We truly do not know what we would do without them in our lives and we cannot sing their praises enough. 

And, due to Dr. Bhatt's attentive care and devotion that recent heartbreaking weekend when we thought it was time to say goodbye to Riley, I am happy to report that I am writing to you today on Riley's 16th birthday, with him right by my side.

UPDATE: We’re sad to report that Riley passed on to the Rainbow Bridge but thank Paige for her willingness to allow us to publish her story. Paige says: “We are heartbroken but Dr. Bhatt [got] him to his 16th birthday and we will forever be grateful to her for that.“ We will miss Riley deeply and our hearts go out to the Barrish family.

About Paige Barrish

Paige lives in the northern suburbs of Illinois with her husband and dog, Tucker. She enjoys all things animal-related. Originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Paige pursued a degree in social work at the the University of Kansas and then took her degree a step further by obtaining her masters degree at DePaul University - which led her to settling in Illinois. When not doing her daily life routine, she love long walks, traveling, spending quality time with family and giving back to the community.