Just off Main Street, on Church Hill Road, is a nearly century-old house that just got a new face. Like other renovated homes, it was painted, the property landscaped and the inside polished a bit, along with a few new fixtures, including a loving mother and the pitter patter of little feet.

Or should we say paws.

Trumbull resident and Veterinarian Dr. Kathleen Fearon has cared for many Trumbull families' pets over the past 12 years, offering house call service and all kinds of care for animals in different stages of their lives. Starting this week she is setting an anchor, to offer her clients even more services and hours of availability.

Fearon's evolution toward vet started after she earned her Ph.D. in research, and led to her moving into veterinarian school several years later. There she quickly realized that although she was a self-admitted "lab geek" she could not tear herself away from the hands-on animal practice.

At the beginning she worked part-time and then in her own mobile practice. Necessity and a schedule for her and her daughter drove her professional career. This also allowed Fearon to see her clinic come together layer by layer, as she developed a type of care she says she will never change.

"The home visits are such an integral part of assessment, to see an animal in their home and not affected by strange surroundings," she said.

Fearon said dogs or cats in an office may be fearful and not show symptoms that otherwise would be visible. At home, she can also see environmental factors that make up a complete view of an animal's life.

"I get to see things that in other cases would not present themselves, things owners might not feel were important to mention," Fearon said. She added that many procedures such as euthanasia can be more comforting at home and gives people all the options to best remember their animal family member.

She doesn't mind the constraints of a small house. "The large practice has no appeal," she said. And while she does have views for growth, she said she never wants to lose touch with the community, adding that her new office is flexible enough to fit any of the needs she may have in the future.

As Fearon sits on the church pew that is in her waiting room with her dog Fin, she recalled choosing the house was not as much a decision as love at first site.

"I had looked at several places and this house just really lent itself to what I had always envisioned. I really love this house," she said. 

It couldn't have been any other way, she said, because she describes herself as "uncompromising" in things that she wants. "I want what I want and I like things my way," she said.  

She believes in this model for her clients, educating them about options for their pet and having them make the decisions that best suits their pet's needs.

The inside of the clinic is designed to be comfortable and relaxed, aided by the large stone fireplace that sits in the center of the back wall of the waiting room and the vintage bar that is now a reception desk.

While Fearon talks, Dana Paoletto, her veterinary technician (and my wife), finishes up some of the painting. Paoletto will be wearing many hats in the clinic.

The tech quickly puts down her paintbrush to answer the phone and make an appointment. A technician for 17 years, Paoletto has been working alongside Fearon since her early years.

"Dana just knows what to do and it gets done," Fearon said. The doctor will be working in and out of the clinic for the meantime, handling "anything else."

The high standards Fearon has set for herself have allowed this driven woman to achieve the image of what she believes to be the kind of care that Trumbull residents deserve. The house on Church Hill Road is the reward of hard work, from someone who would never accept a consolation prize.