In the last twenty years, the relationship between pets and people has changed. They are now irreplaceable family members. We believe veterinary medicine must change along with this. 

When They Became Irreplaceable

 A small brown and white puppy with floppy ears is lying on a veterinarian's lap. Hands gently pet the puppy's head and sides. The puppy gazes up with a curious and relaxed expression, as if feeling right at home in the vet's care. The background is softly blurred. A smiling vet in blue scrubs holds a small, fluffy dog in a veterinary clinic. Behind him, shelves stocked with medical supplies complete the scene. A veterinarian, wearing a mask and gloves, gently holds a small chick in a poultry farm. The background reveals more chicks and feeding equipment inside the barn. A veterinarian wearing gloves examines a chestnut horse's face in a stable. Nearby, another person in a blue coat stands, holding a rope attached to a white horse. A plain, light gray background reminiscent of a serene veterinarian's clinic, with no distinguishable objects or features.

In 1991, Dr. Peter Brown started practicing at Chuckanut Valley Veterinary Clinic.  He soon created one of the nation’s most successful veterinary practices, in rural-Washington no less, by focusing on the experience that both clients and employees have in the practice. In 2018, Peter founded Cara with a belief in shaking up the industry. With the evolution of the human-animal bond, Cara would begin to rethink what a veterinary practice could be and mean to the communities it serves.  For so many people, pets are closer to children than they are animals. That means the veterinarian occupies a role closer to a pediatrician than anything else. But the current healthcare delivery model was not built to address both the medical needs of animals and the emotional needs of humans.
This is a complex challenge. And Peter believed it needed to start with making Cara a special place to work. A place where the magic is put back into medicine. Where veterinary professionals could come together, do the best work of their lives, and think more broadly about the impact they can make in the lives of people and pets.  The roadmap became clearer… in order for Cara to create meaningful change in the industry, it would have to become a network of veterinary hospitals. One who thinks very differently about how to shape veterinary medicine to meet the deeper needs of people and pets.

But what was still needed was the scaffolding; the principles that would animate all the decisions that would need to be made inside the practice. Cara’s Pillars were born. In everything we do, we are guided by the following core values:

Put Pets First - Trust The Parent - Good Neighbors - Authentically Human - Shake Things Up At Chuckanut, Peter’s goal was always to make a pet owner feel like they were the only thing that mattered. That he could see their pet through their eyes. That they had no idea that the veterinary experience could feel so authentic and meaningful. Now, the Cara family network of hospitals is building on that to create a more hopeful and exhilarating future for veterinary medicine.

Changing the world is nearly impossible. But when you attract incredible people, impossible becomes hard. And hard becomes realistic.  Join Cara A green silhouette of a figure holding a small rectangle next to their head, with their other arm pointing outward, evokes the focused precision of a veterinarian during an examination. The background is white. A close-up of a happy dog with a gray and white coat, wide open mouth, and tongue out. The dog is looking directly at the camera against a light blue background, looking ready for its visit to the veterinarian. A silhouetted palm tree against a teal green background evokes a sense of serenity akin to a veterinarian's gentle touch. The tree's fronds spread outwards, and the trunk is slightly curved, enhancing the tropical atmosphere. A fluffy golden dog with perky ears and a happy expression looks back at the camera, as if awaiting its favorite vet. It sits on a grassy hilltop, enjoying the scenic view of rolling green hills and a cloudy blue sky in the background. A minimalistic green graph on a white background resembles a vet's organizational chart, featuring two labeled connected rectangles, each with two small rectangles at the base, linked by a central vertical line. Three images: a veterinarian holding a cat, a hand petting a happy dog, and a person kissing a Labrador while outdoors. The scenes convey warmth and affection between humans and animals. A light green silhouette of a city skyline with various building shapes, including skyscrapers and a tower with a spire, creates the perfect backdrop. Imagine a local vet clinic nestled among these outlines, dedicated to caring for pets amidst urban life. A black and white Border Collie with a fluffy coat looks joyfully at the camera against a blue background, mouth open and ears perked up, as if ready for its next adventure at the vet. A collage featuring people and dogs unfolds across three rows. The top shows two people with dogs and one solo canine. In the middle, a large portrait of a happy dog evokes joy. The bottom displays a close-up of an outdoor dog and one on a blue backdrop, each image connected by green dotted lines—a tribute to cherished vet memories.