Douglas R. Young

For additional service and donation information, please click Here Douglas R. Young, DVM A life is best described not by dates, awards, or longevity, but by the stories told by those left behind. For that reason, this narrative about Dr. Youngs life will be brief, and the stories told by those impacted by his lifes work as a healer, a husband, a father, grandfather, brother, mentor, and friend, will speak for themselves. Doug was born to Mary Catherine and Harold Young in Creston, Iowa. Harold was a WWII vet who came home to Prescott, Iowa to help run his family farm. Brother Ron, and later sister Catherine, followed. The farmhouse had no indoor plumbing. Hard work was the name of the game. The kids attended grades 1-12 at the Prescott Community School. Doug was an active local and county 4-H member, showing his prized Angus beef cows and calves. He and Ron established the Young Brothers Angus Farm. Through high school, Doug worked with local veterinarians, Dr. Shaw and Dr. Roberts, in Corning, Iowa. Both doctors were role models and mentors for a young man who had always known he would become a veterinarian. Doug was salutatorian of his class of 25. All three of the Young kids earned college degrees. Doug worked multiple jobs to put himself through Iowa State University and the College of Veterinary Medicine. He then practiced for several years in Dulap, Iowa at the Twin Valley Veterinary Clinic, treating both large and small animals. Dougs sons, Christopher and Brandon, grew up in Dunlap and later moved to Seattle with their parents. In 1984, the farm boy from a town of 300 people bought Rainier Beach Veterinary Hospital (RBVH) and moved to south Seattle sight unseen. He had never stepped foot on the west coast until that time. Doug and Debby met in Rainier Beach and will mark their 25th wedding anniversary on December 19, 2018. Christopher and Brandon married Michele and Sandi. Daughters Rose and April became aunts in preschool, and Doug became a grandfather when Brandon had two daughters, Noelle and Lauren. Between 1984-2017, Dr. Young built a thriving business that welcomed people from all walks of life, and cared for the pets (dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, and goats) of three generations of families. Dr. Young and his pick up, "Old Blue" (later, a 2002 Dodge Ram), made house calls all over the Puget Sound area, judged science fairs at local schools, and faithfully attended Rainier Beach Merchants Association meetings and events. Dr. Youngs clients traveled to Rainier Beach from Eastern Washington, Sammamish, Maple Valley, West Seattle, Ballard, Burien, Olympia, North Bend, Oregon, and even Alaska. He never turned anyone away, and he never failed to care for an abandoned animal. Several homeless pets, including "Pearl" the rabbit, either lived out their lives at RBVH, or found good homes with staff or clients. Dr. Young charged people no more than what they could afford to pay, allowed them to take their time paying what they could, and he treated each patient like he or she was his own. In 35 years, no animal was ever refused care. The Young family could not go anywhere-hiking near Mount Rainier, visiting Eastern Washington, attending school events in Sammamish or North Bend, or even visiting the Puyallup Fair, without hearing "Doc Young! Doc Young!" from a past or present client. Dr. Young often said he had the best clients and the best staff in the state. The longevity and loyalty of his staff was unheard of. His hiring criteria was a deep love of animals and a willingness to work hard. He respected his employees and appreciated their dedication. They admired his work ethic, integrity, generosity, and his devotion to service. Dr. Young was recognized as the "Best Veterinarian in South Seattle" in 2016 and listed as a "Best Vet Bet" by Check Book Magazine in 2012. He was awarded the Rainier Chamber of Commerce "Business of the Year Award" in 2010, and the "John L. OBrien Lifetime Achievement Award" in 2015. The latter Award recognized Dr. Young for his "Enduring Vision, Leadership and Achievement in the Rainier Valley Community". While most of his vet school classmates were retiring, Dr. Young continued to work seven day workweeks. Almost every weekend and many week nights, he brought patients home with him for the night. Sometimes they needed medication and sometimes they just needed TLC. Christopher and Brandon grew up cleaning kennels and doing other vet clinic chores. Rose and April did the same. The girls often kept sick dogs company on Sundays. Although he was looking forward to spending more time gardening, camping, and doing outdoor chores, it was cancer that forced Doug to retire in August 2018; less than three months after his retirement celebration. In July, August and September, Doug read and reread each of the hundreds of cards and letters written by clients to thank him for his care, and wish him a happy retirement. Each of Dr. Youngs four children grew up immensely proud of their dad and what he meant to the families of the pets and farm animals he cared for every day. In addition to working 80 hour work weeks until he was 70, Doug attended his kids soccer games, tennis matches, softball and baseball games, school plays and musicals and other school events, and supported Debby in her work with homelessness. Though each and every one of Dr. Youngs thousands of clients, colleagues and friends has his or her own unique story, following is a small sample of some of the many stories shared with his family prior to his retirement. Sam "Sam…and I walked into Dr. Youngs Vet office sometime in late 1990. Sam was greeted with "Hi, Sam, how are you doing?" by Dr. Young, as if greeting an old friend, followed by "how are you feeling, Sam?" When I replied for Sam with "Im feeling pretty good, but Ive been abandoned by my premium people who might not have taken proper care of me." Dr. Young, never taking his eyes off Sam, replied, "well, well fix you right up." Over the next nine years, Sam and I would return….and early in year two we were jointed by another…Dog of the Streets, and Dr. Young continued to address Sam and Maggie, and I continued to fill in their dialogue. I assumed this was the communication method for all Doctors for animals, so when I moved away and took Sam and Maggioe to another doctor…, who asked "what is wrong with your dog, I replied, "arent you going to ask him?" I learned that Dr. Young is one of a kind, special, caring, focused on his patient, and patient with his patients people.." Bella "Words cannot express how important you have been to my pets and me for the past 30+ years. I cried when I left your office for the last time last March." Isabella and Peter Pan "Thank you from the bottom of my heart…! Under your expert and compassionate care my dogs lived to be 16 and 18 years old. The service you and your staff provide is priceless. You personally gave both my dogs three or four more lives! We are eternally grateful for ALL you have done for the community. You are loved and will be missed. Your legacy lives on with Dr. Deal and your dedicated staff whom we love so very much!" Riley "I have no human children and Dr. Young knows how much my Labs mean to me and he treats them with compassion. Dr. Youngs prices are reasonable and will even work with you when you cant pay. Most of the time if I have a problem Dr. Young will just tell me what to do over the phone and save me an office call…I grew up in Rainier Valley but have lived the past 15 years in Burien. We have tried other vets in the area and always go back to Dr. Young. When Bailey died in surgery in 2005 in Burien I always will wonder if I had only kept going to Dr. Young would the outcome have been different. I will never know the answer to that question but one thing is for sure I will always bring Baileys half brother Riley to Dr. Young for his care even if the drive is much further." Katie "You made your care and treatments so reasonable, and from what I saw in your office, often free, we could afford the best care, not just emergency care, for the animals we considered family and life sources…Finding an intelligent, outside of the box thinker, who loves people and their 4 legged kids more than money is rare indeed." Paddy, Smooch, and large family of both dogs and cats "You have gone above and beyond to serve the South Seattle community by making your services accessible. I especially remember your kindness after my husband died. You will be dearly missed…" The Big Guy "Thank you for the opportunity to express our gratitude to a man who has conducted himself in his profession with the highest degree of skill and compassion. Thank you for the care you have taken with all our animals and for giving our cat a long and happy life and the gift of sight. You have been his great friend and healer, always repairing him after one or another of his many battles." Henry "Thank you for the good care you gave to …Henry in his last few years of life, right up to and immediately after his death. This included carrying his body up to your car and placing him across your back seat. I will never forget that. The many people in the Seattle area will miss you and all other veterinarians will be judged by your standards, which are equally outstanding whether the animal is old and sick or young and fresh…" Sheba For over three decades, "Dr. Douglas Young has been helping the people of Southeast Seattle by caring for some of their most important family members: their pets. I moved to Rainier Beach in 1987…I was the sole provider in our home and had three kids and two step kids…But did that mean I couldnt afford to take care of my animals? Of course not! Because Dr. Young has always had a sliding scale with a ridiculously low end. I remember an elderly lady in the neighborhood who rescued cats. It wasnt a shelter; she was just the "cat lady." I would see her occasionally at the Vet with a new cat and it soon became clear that Dr. Young didnt charge her ANYTHING for veterinary care. Eventually, I got a better job and my kids grew up, and I was more financially secure. And then Dr. Young started charging me his "standard" rates for care. He never needs to ask what someone can afford. No one fills out a credit check form. Just as he knows how sick an animal is just by looking at it, he knows what a family can afford to pay." Maxie "…Should Maxie need a Vet to help her leave this world of sickness, I hope we can ask you…" Soapy and a large family of puppies "We are grateful that our community had such a giving and caring vet. We know that without your kindness and generosity, many families could not have afforded to have a pet. Pets are such wonderful gifts to humans. Thank you!" Peeka "If I couldnt bring my dogs to Dr. Young for his affordable TLC, I wouldnt be able to have my dogs. My dogs are like my "babies" to me and make my life so much sweeter. Thank you, Dr. Young, for allowing me to enjoy my life so much more." From Dr. Youngs Family: Doug was a healer. This was his calling. His life of service improved the quality of life for thousands of families. Service is the work of the soul, and Doug was grateful for the opportunity to serve. We only hope that we can make him as proud of us as we are of him. Thank you all for your love, loyalty, and kindness to Doug and his family over the years.