New Homeward Bound Animal Clinic to open in April
Mar. 21—ROCHESTER — Veterinarian Dr. Natalie Lucca expects to start seeing clients in April at her new
Homeward Bound Animal Clinic
in Rochester's former Meadow Lakes Golf Course clubhouse.
Lucca, who grew up in Rochester, has been busy in recent months revamping the clubhouse building at 50 45th Ave. SW
on the grounds of the golf course, which closed in 2012.
When asked this week if she is close to opening Homeward Bound, she responded with an enthusiastic "Heck, yeah."
Her team of three staffers is setting up a booking system with the goal of seeing animals on April 8. Homeward Bound is then hosting an open house on April 12 with a ribbon cutting.
The new clinic will offer care for dogs, cats and more exotic pets. Lucca includes reptiles, amphibians, rabbits, gerbils, hamsters and sugar gliders in the list of exotics.
Lucca has been caring for animals locally as a veterinarian since 2016 at
Northern Valley Animal Clinic
and before that at the Banfield Pet Hospital. She is also one of the vets who works with the animals at the
Oxbow Park & Zollman Zoo
in Byron.
Her approach is to focus on "fear-free" care for animals.
"Fear-free is about being at the animal's level to break down the barriers of fear of being in a new place or getting treatment done. It is about reducing stress and making the experience more enjoyable for the animals," she explained.
Has the clinic turned out as she imagined in the Fall of 2023?
"It's beautiful. It's so gorgeous. Everything is going great. Everything is on schedule. There are still some final details to wrap up at the end, but we'll get there," said Lucca.
This is the latest project in that former clubhouse building. In 2017, it had a run as a members-only cigar establishment called the
Corona Club at the Meadows.
In other action on the course grounds,
Med City Electric
also recently moved its operation into a nearby building at 70 45th Ave. SW.
