Taking care of the health of the fuzzy members of our families is always a full-time job, and it’s not always easy. For the residents of Michigan City, Indiana, there’s no more experienced person to trust with their pets’ health than Dr. Rex Bailey of Michigan City Animal Hospital. Dr. Bailey doesn’t just have a passion for working with pets and keeping all animals healthy and happy, he also works closely with Michigan City’s Washington Park Zoo to keep the many exotic creatures there healthy and happy, too.
Dr. Bailey was born and raised in Michigan City, where his love and interest in animals began early in life, with a membership in 4H and growing up on a farm.
“[I grew up on] a small farm,” said Bailey. “We had about 20-some acres, mostly my grandparents,’ we kept some animals there. We had a couple acres where we could keep animals ourselves, but a lot of them were kept at my grandparents,’ and that was only a couple hundred yards down the road, so you’d get up in the morning and take care of things there.”
His experiences with animals growing up is what inspired Dr. Bailey to work with Animals.
“I think growing up on a small farm and being involved in 4H was a big part of it,” explained Dr. Bailey. “I always liked the sciences and the medical aspect of it, the work of putting the animals and the science together, it’s pretty much a no-brainer to be a veterinarian at that point.”
Dr. Bailey, who graduated from Michigan City’s Rogers High School (now Michigan City High School) and Purdue University’s West Lafayette Campus with a doctorate in Veterinary Medicine, purchased Michigan City Animal Hospital in 1987 after working on small and farm animals for two years after getting his degree. Ever since, he’s been a paragon of the animal health world in La Porte County.
“I enjoy working with the animals, the challenge of what you might see every day,” said Dr. Bailey. “I enjoy working with people and I really admire the bond people have with their animals, that’s always special- the special relationship that people have with their pets.”
Dr. Bailey’s work with pets isn’t simply limited to cats and dogs. He also treats exotic pets, such as fish and rats that become ill. Cortney McIntosh, the owner of several pets treated by Dr. Bailey, is especially appreciative of the way he treats every pet, no matter how large or small, as a beloved family member.
“I appreciate everything he’s done,” explained McIntosh. “It doesn’t matter how big or small the animal is, he has an understanding that they are someone’s family and he’ll do whatever it takes to make that animal healthy.”
Dr. Bailey’s experience working closely with Washington Park Zoo also stems from his early career, where he worked while in college. Being a vet that works with large, unusual animals like lions, tigers, and bears (oh my!) and even elephants, Dr. Bailey takes special care to provide the best medical attention to his furry patients.
“The biggest thing is safety,” said Dr. Bailey. “Most of the bigger animals at the zoo have to be sedated to get a good look at them, and then I’ll constantly be getting new information and trying to keep abreast of taking care of all the different species.”
Bailey, who has 4 kids and 7 grandkids, still finds time to have fun outside of his busy work schedule.
“Nowadays, [having fun] is mostly keeping up with the grandkids, they have a tendency to keep me busy with that,” said Bailey. “I enjoy watersports, fishing, hiking, camping, and I ski in the winter. There’s quite a variety, I mostly try to do outdoor sports and activities whenever I can.”
When it’s the life and well-being of one of your furry loved ones, it helps to have the best and most caring doctors in your corner. That’s the passion of Dr. Bailey, one that he hopes to continue to provide for a long time in the future.