Wow! 15 years, how time flies! – Ellen Kruijning (founder and partner)
In 2003 I started the set up for my own Veterinary Clinic, fortunately I was not fully aware of what I was doing, just knew exactly where I was going. Setting up a business, let alone a Veterinary Clinic in Dubai was a sport in itself in those years. But as I had lost my job and was told that if I was so sure how to do it, I should start up my own clinic. So that was it! I needed no further motivation. Fortunately I married the most incredible husband a girl can wish for, as he stood behind me through thick and thin, helping out with the girls, the ever growing private zoo and my endless working hours, pet sitting, baby-sitting, financial advice, support, shoulders to sob on and always a fantastic meal. This beside growing his own career to the highest level.
A very good friend mentioned I needed a business plan to know what the numbers would do and we sat down together and spend many an evening looking at the numbers, I learned a lot those nights and found out what had been lacking in my university training as a Vet! Although the numbers were not encouraging, my husband supported the step, my friend laughed and gave us her blessing and became one of our first clients.
In the meantime I continued the set up investigation and it took me a year, knocking on doors, organizing papers, finding out what works and what does not, unpopular surprises, endless setbacks and baby steps forward. The Dubai Circle is a reality, in order to get an approval, a license or other, you need something else, and that never is the same, it changes continuously! Unfortunately these requirements always resulted in a fully closed circle and loads of people hiding behind standard answers, making it almost impossible to take the next step, and therefore I found myself always looking for the weakest link in this tightly closed ring. It was then that I met my sponsor, a wonderful Emirati lady, who had a similar approach as I have, “No” is not a word and should not ever be considered. Together we laughed our way through the rules and regulations and found a solution for every set back. As much as I could have some enormous emotional setbacks, somehow we always found a positive note to take the next step which finally resulted in the opening of Al Barsha Veterinary Clinic on October 4, 2004, World Animal Day!
The Clinic started in Al Barsha, close to the not yet build Mall of the Emirates on a barren piece of sand with no neighbors, just a road and a promising development and wind and sand howling around the building site. Another part which lacks in the Veterinary Education is the constructing of a naked “shop” into a Veterinary Clinic. Suddenly I found myself drawing ideas, trying to make maximum use of the little space I could afford, sorting out a minimum to start with and still making it look attractive. Funny enough this worked and many people came into the clinic to get information on interior decorating as the clinic looked so attractive at night and we did not yet have a signboard. When we got the interior design questions under control, we started getting sick people in to see the Doctor. They looked horrified when they found out that I was an Animal Doctor, horrified and surprised that this luxurious set up was in fact a Vet Clinic.
Fortunately all worked out great, we opened very pretentiously with 24/7 service with me as the vet, receptionist and nurse. Again I found a great friend who offered to work for free till I could make ends meet and we made a great team, and I had, as said a super team at home as well, supporting me in taking care of our daughters and anything else at home. The Clinic grew so fast that we broke even in less than half a year, I felt so proud! The first official staff member was my friend, than came Richard, our driver and help in so many ways, and who is still with us! After him many more followed. In our 3rd year Dr. Mehdi made his entrance and helped to further develop the Clinic to the excellent Vet Clinic it is today, and he joined in a partnership at Al Barsha Veterinary Clinic in 2013.
The Clinic has built a strong name in Dubai and we are fortunate to have many very loyal clients who have been with us since the beginning or even returned after having been out of the country for some time. I am grateful to the staff who always seem to make a strong team and ensure that the work is done with love and respect for the lives we try to support in the best possible way, whilst ensuring each and every one of them feels supported too! Veterinary business is an emotional business and knows many setbacks but a team effort ensures you are never alone.
From the early days we have supported the stray animals of Dubai with once a year a full month of Free Spay & Neuter for stray cats, a well appreciated gesture which can always count on many volunteers to bring in the strays. Followed since many years by a weekly quota for Free TNR so unwanted overgrowth of the kitten population is tackled at the base. It is nice to see the positive outcome of these actions taken, although it is very difficult to keep up with the problem populations or the endless animals hurt or sick outside in the cruel heat of this country.Looking back at the past 15 years, makes me both proud and very grateful, Dubai has offered me very generous opportunities and I love this country and the City I am a part off. My very supportive family, both daughters have just recently flown out to universities in the Netherlands, has been super and understanding.
