Page 26 - North Haven Magazine Issue 11 Holiday 2019

Looking back at one of North Haven's Finest
Veterinarians

by Marisa Hexter

In the fall, veterinarian Dr. Barbara Breu retired from the Montowese Veterinary Clinic after 43 years of service to residents of
North Haven; those on both two and four legs. I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Breu about her life and experiences in town
and beyond, allowing me to put together an article dedicated to a brilliant veterinarian.

he seventh grade is when Dr. Breu decided she wanted to Not only did she state she would sincerely miss her clients, but she
become a veterinarian. Although she does not clearly know would miss interacting with “the wonderful creatures who contin-
Twhat prompted the decision, Dr. Breu supposes her child- ually make me smile”, but she will also “miss my wonderful staff.”
hood in Minnesota farm country surrounded by animals of all
types was a factor in her choice of profession. She decided to attend
the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, where
she received her DVM in 1976. Out of her graduating class of 74
students, Dr. Breu was one of 12 women to graduate. She also re-
calls only one female professor. In her early years both as a student
and as a veterinarian, Dr. Breu remembers resistance in the field, as
it was still male-dominated in the late seventies and early eighties.

Her first job while at school, and shortly
after graduating was at a newly opened vet-
erinarian office local to her parents’ home.
Dr. Breu arrived in Connecticut in 1977 as
an intern for Veterinary Medicine, where
she met Dr. Terrence Claypoole and Dr.
Robert Aldrich, who she states, “have always Looking back at her career, I asked Dr. Breu about what her
had my back and helped me along the way”. favorite animals to work with were, and I was also dying to know
During her first years in Connecticut, Dr. what the most unusual animal was she had ever worked with! The
Breu found some more pushback as a young answer to the first question was an equal love of dogs and cats. And
woman in a male-dominated field saying, the most unusual animal? A caiman from the years she was treating
“I was only 25 years old … and fairly often reptiles! Thankfully, Dr. Breu explained to me what a caiman was,
when I walked into an exam room, the client which is a smaller version of an alligator!
would look at me and ask when the doctor
was coming in”. Once her year-long intern- But now that Dr. Breu is officially retired, what is next? Travel
ship ended, Dr. Breu started her long time plans are definitely in the future for Dr. Breu, as she has always
career as a veterinarian at the Montowese loved to travel. New places are on her itinerary like Madagascar, the
Veterinary Clinic in 1978. Amazon, and New Zealand. She plans “to do some volunteering”
and Dr. Breu says she, “wants to learn to play the piano” as she nev-
When asked if there was anything she learned along the way er learned as a child. The final plan on her list was to attend more
which she was not taught in school that helped her develop as a vet- baseball games as she is a huge fan!
erinarian, Dr. Breu mentioned the business and financial aspect as
well as coping with the emotional stress as the two most important Dr. Breu, I hope I can speak on behalf of those who know you
factors. Learning how to run a business was a “long learning curve” and say a heartfelt “Thank You” for everything you have done for
for her. Discussing finances with a client who can possibly have the town of North Haven and it’s furry (and sometimes reptilian)
limited resources when their beloved pet is ill or injured proved to residents over the last 40 years. Congratulations!
be more painful than most individuals think to the veterinarian.
Dr. Breu also mentioned Euthanasia as an “incredible pain” in a
veterinarian career, especially when a pet they’ve seen grow up is
involved. One item which she did not learn in school which im- Editor's Note
pacted her life positively was love. “These creatures want to love us”
Dr. Breu says, “and helping them have long lived with their chosen Dr. Breu was the only Vet I ever had. She was amazing with my
humans is so rewarding.” two dogs, Holly and Caitlin, who both passed at 17 years old. I
was the worst "Sick Doggy Mommy" ever and couldn't even be in
When I asked Dr. Breu if retirement was a difficult choice to the room when they had shots. Then, she took care of my latest
make, she responded by stating the love that she learned through two - Tyson William (I added a middle name so he didn't think
the years made it extremely hard to stop practicing. “I also had a his name was "Tyson NO" and my Princess Bellarina, or Bella for
very hard time saying goodbye to my clients. I’ve known many of short. She will be missed by them and especially by me!
them for thirty or forty years and they’ve become my dear friends.”
She stated some of the families are now third generation clients!

26 North Haven Magazine - Holiday 2019