Dr. Bain’s Story
Focusing on quality & relationships while providing the best experience possible for my clients and patients.
Why I became a Veterinarian:
My dad was primarily a large animal vet in my youth so, of course, I grew up with a love and understanding of animals.
The day my life changed was around the age of seven. My dad took me for an emergency call to see a sick pig. This poor sow had been in labor for two days and was unable to deliver on her own. Unfortunately, the farmer couldn’t afford the cost of a C-section, so it was agreed the best option was to put the poor girl out of her misery.
As a child, I couldn’t understand why there wasn’t another option. Why did momma and her babies have to die? My dad tried to explain that his hands were simply too large to reach in and save the babies and it was best, for the pigs’ sake, to end her suffering.
Unwilling to accept this fate, I asked if I could do it. Could my small hands pull the babies out? I remembered how scared I was as my dad had me scrub up and prepare to deliver the baby pigs. The whole time he was explaining he didn’t know if this would work. He didn’t know if the babies were alive. He didn’t know if this was even possible.
All that fear instantly turned into joy when I, with my little hands, pulled that first little life into this world. As that little piggy took its first breaths, I knew I was changed. I knew I had made a difference. At 7-years-old, I knew from then on that was my path.
Why I started New Hope Pet Vet:
After 10 years in college, I graduated from Auburn University College of Veterinarian Medicine. My wife, Chrissy, and I moved up to Cleveland, Tennessee to work for a well-established practice. I became a partner and practiced there for a little over 10 years.
At the age of 37, I had a scary medical reaction after a very personal elective surgery. This experience truly brought me to my knees. Not long after, I was compelled to change my ways. I began reading the Bible and learned of a better direction and purpose for my life.
In the midst of these new discoveries, I had a crazy dream one night. I vividly remember every little detail. I was watching a doctor practice veterinary medicine out of a RV like mobile veterinary clinic. I remembered thinking that’s kind of cool! As the dream zoomed in, I realized the doctor was me.
The next day, I told everyone of my crazy dream and didn’t really think much more of it. About a year later, life was going great until I began experiencing unbearable episodes of pain, primarily at night. After some time and many doctors’ visits, I was diagnosed with a rare condition called Trigeminal Neuralgia which was exacerbated by Eosinophilic Rhinosinusitis. Basically, I had a severe allergy which had triggered an autoimmune response that had in turn damaged some of the nerves in my face.
I was told by a specialist that, due to this condition, I probably needed to look at changing my career. After this revelation, I considered everything from becoming a teacher to working for the USDA, but I kept coming back to that crazy dream. So, after some soul searching, I decided to look into the mobile vet clinic and sure enough the good Lord made it easy for me. I was able to find a truck to remodel, to start my own business and still be able to do what I loved in a different and better way.
Providing veterinary medicine at people’s homes changed the way I practiced and gave me a new focus on quality and relationships.
A few years later, I brought this new focus home. I built New Hope Pet Vet on the back half of my property here in Cleveland, Tennessee. I built this practice to be a little different. I want to provide nothing short of the best experience possible for my clients and patients.
Chrissy Bain’s Story
Dr. Bain’s wife, friend and business partner
Deep within my core beliefs, I believe that God put animals in our lives to teach us how to be better humans and to teach us to love unconditionally. From a very early age, it was my heart’s desire to nurture animals of all kinds. Having great compassion toward animals, I began working summers at age 14 with my local Veterinarian in Norcross, Georgia. It was through this first work experience that God was preparing the foundational building blocks of my life’s work.
After several more summers working in the vet’s office, in the fall of 1996, I packed my bags to attend Auburn University to pursue a degree in Pre Veterinary Medicine. Upon arriving in Auburn, Alabama my mom gave me her blessing in pursuing my dreams but warned me against “marrying an Alabama redneck.” Well I heard her warning loud and clear that fall day in 1996 but, in the summer of 1997 while retrieving my mail at the community mailbox, I met the most handsome, charming man. I knew instantly that God shouted from the heavens that this would be who I would marry and his name was Bart Bain. To my surprise, he was a sophomore vet school student, he was kind, charming and from Dothan, Alabama. After a few weeks of getting to know this intriguing, handsome young man he invited me on a “work date” to the Alabama State Ratite Research Lab where he was responsible for caring for baby ostriches. Unfortunately, these baby ostriches were hatching and not thriving. It was Bart’s job to help determine why these hatchlings were dying shortly after they broke free from their shell. As this poor bird was struggling, he hands me the bird and says “hold this while I draw a blood sample.” As I reluctantly held this innocent life, Bart proceeded to inject a syringe into this lifeless baby ostrich. All of a sudden, my palms began to sweat, my knees were shaky and I was down for the count. As I fell on the ground, he quickly stopped working on the bird and his attention was then fully devoted to me. How embarrassing, I thought. How embarrassing! It was with that life altering experience that I quickly decided vet school was not in the plans but marrying an “Alabama Redneck” was a possibility! In the Spring of 2000, I graduated with a degree in Business Marketing from Auburn University.
It was through this experience that I came to the realization that God has a special way of altering our lives in such a way that He can fulfill His mission through our life’s work. God reveals His mission through the desires of our heart, our life experience and the people He connects us with. I believe this is true for my husband, myself and everyone that puts their trust in God. I am eternally grateful for the opportunities in my life and God’s provision to make New Hope Pet Vet possible. It is through our passion for people, pets and our life mission that sets New Hope Pet Vet apart. We are not just a vet clinic providing veterinary care but we are a place of “new hope” for our employees, clients, and animals that we get the pleasure of serving in this lifetime.
