When children are asked what kind of adult job they’d like to do, a common response is “veterinarian.” This is hardly a surprise; after all, most kids adore their family pets and would jump at the opportunity to care for animals all day. Luckily for Dr. Stacey and Ben Hendershott, this childhood wish is a dream come true. Stacey and Ben are the owners of Pleasant Grove Animal Hospital in Texarkana and the Moore Animal Clinic in New Boston. Stacey is a veterinarian, and Ben is a licensed veterinary technician. They are also married with three children and blessed to work together every day.

*Stacey hugs “Ruby Shae,” the Hendershott family’s Boerboel, after their pet donated blood for a blood transfusion.*

Ben and Stacey’s desire to work with animals both stem from a young age. Growing up in Texarkana, Stacey recalls that “my grandfather would remind me that I wanted to become a vet from the time I could walk. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think of my grandfather. I grew up helping him on the farm and breeding English bulldogs. I started working in the vet field at 16 and have been in it ever since (over 22 years).” Ben is originally from Perryton, north of Amarillo, but spent much time with his father and grandparents in Ardmore, Oklahoma. There, he helped his father and grandfather around their cattle farm. “My granddad raised beagles, and I spent a lot of time with him at field trials where they were judged on how well they would track rabbits,” Ben explains. “I was always interested in working with animals but I helped an injured dog off the road after being hit, and I knew then that I wanted to be in the veterinary medical field.”

Following graduation from Texas High School in 2000, Stacey earned a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science with a pre-vet option, and then a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine, both from Oklahoma State University. She met Ben in Oklahoma, after he transferred schools, graduating from Murray State College with an associate’s degree in Applied Science Veterinary Technology. They moved to Texarkana in 2007 after Stacey’s graduation.

Fast forward 12 years: the Hendershotts have grown a thriving veterinary practice while raising their children, Trevor, age 11, Riley Rae, age 7, and Emma Lou, age 3. As Stacey comments, “There is never a dull moment!” Like most families, the Hendershotts have developed a daily routine. “My work typically begins at home around 5 a.m.,” Stacey explains. “I use quiet time while the kids are asleep to catch up on notes, research, respond to emails, etc. because there aren’t any interruptions. After getting myself and the kids ready to start the day, I drop them off at school and head to the clinic.” Clinic hours stay packed. “After getting situated into the clinic, I have several people waiting to give me messages. I then start to make my rounds to check on all the patients. At 9 a.m., I start to see patients or perform surgery. I am sometimes lucky to get much of a lunch. I stop seeing patients around 4:30, doors close at 5:30, but my work doesn’t finish until 6:30-7 p.m. I generally have a lot of phone calls to make that I try to juggle on my drive home and between appointments.”

Stacey advises that life in veterinary work is “very demanding time-wise, emotionally, and physically. A lot of people don’t know truly what all a vet does or can do. They work in varied fields, such as research, military, education, USDA inspection, first responders.” Ben avers, “Seeing animals suffer is a tough part of the job. When we are able to be their voice and help them get better, it is very fulfilling. However, when we do everything we can for them and still have a bad outcome, it is heartbreaking.”

However, working together strengthens Ben and Stacey’s passion for their profession and respect for each other. “Stacey is a brilliant veterinarian with a deep love for her patients. I admire her and love watching her be at her best,” Ben remarks. Stacey shares a similar sentiment. “I couldn’t imagine a day without working with Ben. I depend on him so much, and he is generally a few steps ahead of me. He truly knows me inside and out such that he can predict my next move ... sometimes for the good, and not so good! I say that jokingly because we do pick on each other!”

Despite the challenges of finding time to communicate throughout a full day, the couple relies on each other. “We couldn’t do what we do without one another,” Ben comments. “When we are at work, we have a very limited time to talk. We get stressed when we are busy and may get a few minutes over lunch or between appointments to discuss a few things. It gets tense, but when everything is said and done, we are happy that we were able to help each other get through the day. Just knowing that we are close to each other, even if we are running around busy, is comforting.” Stacey agrees, “One of the best rewards of working together is that Ben is extremely smart and sometimes sees things with a different perspective that is refreshing for difficult cases. The challenges are during stressful times, but we know how to dance around each other to keep from stepping on each other’s toes.”

A strong faith and a love for family helps to ground the Hendershotts. “My children and I say Psalm 118:24 together every morning as they get out of the car for school. ‘This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.’ I feel each day is a blessing, and I try to live it to the fullest,” Stacey says. “After I drop the kids off, I finish with asking God to let me be His tool and light to help others and to fulfill His plan and bring glory to His name.” Ben cites Stacey’s mother, Charlotte, as a lifesaver for them. “When we look at our accomplishments over the 12 years we have been together, we are amazed. We couldn’t have done it without the help of Stacey’s mom, Charlotte. She has been a huge help to us at work and with our kids.”

Ben is also not shy about singing the praises of others in their lives. “God has blessed us with amazing employees who have helped us tremendously,” he states. “We recently had an event at our clinic where the community overwhelmingly came out and supported us, and we are so grateful for our clients and our patients.”

Activities outside their clinics center around their children, their community and personal interests. They love their church and their church family. Ben enjoys duck and turkey hunting, as well as coaching Trevor’s baseball team. Stacey enjoys gardening, painting, entering art shows and “messing around with my animals. I juggle this along with all the activities of my kids somehow!” Ben also maintains ties with his alma mater. “Every year, I go back to Murray State College to help with their Santa Night where the Veterinary Technology program provides presents for the children in Johnston County. There are a lot of needy families, and the kids really love getting to see Santa.”

*This past summer, Pleasant Grove Animal Hospital received a new parking lot, and the entire Hendershott clan got to put their handprints in the concrete*

Last year, The Hendershotts opened Critter Cabins, a boarding and grooming business adjacent to their Moore Animal Clinic in New Boston. One day, Ben hopes “to own some property where we can have cattle like my dad and granddad. We already have a small farm with chickens, ducks and 'Roscoe' the potbelly pig, but when we have cattle, we will have reached the big time.” Stacey would love to get board certified in internal medicine, but admits that she has a “full plate and doesn’t plan on that anytime soon.”

Ben states the couple’s mission succinctly. “We both share a love for animals, our clients, veterinary medicine, and each other.” Indeed, Stacey and Ben Hendershott also share their gifts with the greater Texarkana community, caring not only for animals, but for their humans as well.

*Last November, Stacey, Ben and Stacey’s mother, Charlotte Dailey, took the kids to ride the Polar Express in Palestine, Texas*

Ben and Stacey’s desire to work with animals both stem from a young age. Growing up in Texarkana, Stacey recalls that “my grandfather would remind me that I wanted to become a vet from the time I could walk. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think of my grandfather. I grew up helping him on the farm and breeding English bulldogs. I started working in the vet field at 16 and have been in it ever since (over 22 years).” Ben is originally from Perryton, north of Amarillo, but spent much time with his father and grandparents in Ardmore, Oklahoma. There, he helped his father and grandfather around their cattle farm. “My granddad raised beagles, and I spent a lot of time with him at field trials where they were judged on how well they would track rabbits,” Ben explains. “I was always interested in working with animals but I helped an injured dog off the road after being hit, and I knew then that I wanted to be in the veterinary medical field.”

*For Stacey and Ben, activities outside of the clinic usually center around their children. Here, the couple is celebrating Mother’s Day 2019 with their kiddos at their home.*

Following graduation from Texas High School in 2000, Stacey earned a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science with a pre-vet option, and then a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine, both from Oklahoma State University. She met Ben in Oklahoma, after he transferred schools, graduating from Murray State College with an associate’s degree in Applied Science Veterinary Technology. They moved to Texarkana in 2007 after Stacey’s graduation.

Fast forward 12 years: the Hendershotts have grown a thriving veterinary practice while raising their children, Trevor, age 11, Riley Rae, age 7, and Emma Lou, age 3. As Stacey comments, “There is never a dull moment!” Like most families, the Hendershotts have developed a daily routine. “My work typically begins at home around 5 a.m.,” Stacey explains. “I use quiet time while the kids are asleep to catch up on notes, research, respond to emails, etc. because there aren’t any interruptions. After getting myself and the kids ready to start the day, I drop them off at school and head to the clinic.” Clinic hours stay packed. “After getting situated into the clinic, I have several people waiting to give me messages. I then start to make my rounds to check on all the patients. At 9 a.m., I start to see patients or perform surgery. I am sometimes lucky to get much of a lunch. I stop seeing patients around 4:30, doors close at 5:30, but my work doesn’t finish until 6:30-7 p.m. I generally have a lot of phone calls to make that I try to juggle on my drive home and between appointments.”

*Riley Rae, Trevor, Emma Lou, Ben and Stacey enjoying a picnic in Mena, Arkansas, last summer after a ball tournament.*