A veterinary hospital has been at this address since the late 1940s!

It all started with a lady vet named Dr. Edith Bickerton Williams. Dr. Williams ran a one-vet practise, but had a business relationship with another city clinic, hence the term “Facilities” in the clinic name. Some of our current clients can remember coming with their parents to see Dr. Williams. Up until a few years ago, we still had some elderly lady clients who could tell us tales of themselves, as young women, coming here with their pets.

Dr. Williams sold the clinic to Dr. Susie Frances in the 1960s. Dr. Frances was a well-known professional figure skater, figure skating judge, and dog show judge. In 1967, Dr. J. David LeGallais began working here and purchased the clinic outright a year later.

Dr. Heather Hannah began working here as an associate veterinarian on May 15, 1989. Despite her Northern Ontario, farm girl background, Dr. Hannah fell in love with the neighbourhood, clients, and their pets. She decided to stay, and helped oversee a major clinic renovation in 1991. She became Dr. LeGallais’s business partner in 1999, and purchased the clinic in January 2007. Once again, the clinic is owned and managed by a lady veterinarian.

Situated at 777 St. Clair Avenue West, the clinic lies in the middle of Hillcrest Village. Toronto Life Magazine designates this area as an “up-and-coming part of Toronto”. This is reflected in the wide variety of shops and restaurants and the wide mix of people and languages. To better service the neighbourhood, our staff can speak many different languages: French, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish.