Having a Dog or Cat is a Sacred Experience
By Judith Fales and Annette Pinder
There’s a reason why local veterinarian Dr. James Albert is listed as one of the 10 best veterinarians in Buffalo. Pet owners who entrust their furry friends to his care call him the kindest and most compassionate veterinarian ever. I have personally watched him get down on the floor to introduce himself to a new furry patient.
Dr. Albert graduated from Mississippi State in 1994 and practiced equine and large animal medicine in Kentucky following graduation. He gained valuable emergency medicine and surgical experience at the Greater Buffalo Veterinary Emergency Clinic and founded All Creatures Animal Hospital in East Amherst and City Creatures in Buffalo. He has been a small animal, avian, and exotic doctor, and was even a veterinarian for the Buffalo Zoo, caring for every kind of animal from bears to snakes.
What led Dr. Albert to veterinary medicine? He says, “When my parents divorced when I was very young, my dog Cher got me through a difficult time and taught me about the positive impact that animals have on our physical and mental well-being.”
According to the web resource helpguide.org, “Pets come with some powerful health benefits. However, it is only recently that scientific studies have explored the benefits of the human-animal bond. Our furry friends have evolved to become acutely attuned to their humans behavior and emotions. Dogs, for example, are able to understand many of the words we use but are even better at interpreting our tone of voice, body language, and gestures. And like any good human friend, a loyal dog will look into your eyes to gauge your emotional state and try to understand what you’re thinking and feeling. Pets, especially dogs and cats, can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, ease loneliness, encourage exercise and playfulness, and even improve your cardiovascular health. Caring for an animal can help children grow up more secure and active and provide valuable companionship for older adults.” This has become especially true during the pandemic.
During the pandemic, pet ownership has increased by about 40 percent overall, and by about 50 percent for millennials. Dr. Albert has noticed increases in veterinary visits, grooming visits, and the purchase of pet-related products. However, unlike medical doctors, there has not been a significant increase in veterinary telemedicine visits. Dr. Albert anticipates that many pets adopted during the pandemic will experience separation anxiety upon their owners’ return to work. His advice to them is: “Ignore your pet for a while before leaving for work and after returning home, to avoid making a big deal of departures and arrivals.”
Dr. Albert is a consultant to many rescue groups and animal sanctuaries, and provides on-site exotic animal services. His desire to truly know each pet has also led him to incorporate the ancient Chinese practice of acupuncture and herbal medicine into his veterinary practice. He enjoys public speaking, spending time with his wife Amy and their three sons, his boxer who he refers to as the “clown of dogs” and his German shepherd who works all the time. Above all, he believes that having a dog or cat is a sacred, wonderful, and fulfilling experience.
