A veterinarian comes home

FARMINGTON – After 15 years in the Midwest, Dr. Cathy Morton has returned to her hometown to provide veterinary care for Franklin County. She’s currently operating out of the Falls Road Veterinary Clinic on Route 2 and hopes to continue the standard of care and service established by its previous owners, Dr. Kenneth and Marcia Rockwood.

“Dr. Rockwood was the previous owner of the clinic for the past 30 – 40 years. He gave me my first job when I was a technician back when I was hoping to get into vet school.” Morton said “I grew up with his family, so this clinic has always felt like it’s been a part of my mine.”

Morton’s initial interest in veterinary care stemmed back to her childhood when she used to look after and show horses. “One of my horses had been shuttled down to New Hampshire because it was very ill,” she explained.

“Down there, a little woman who was the veterinarian was called in for treatment and even though I was so certain my horse was going to die, she managed to save its life. It was then that I knew I wanted to be like her – saving animals and being able to bring them home to their families.”

Morton was a graduate from both Mt. Blue High School and the University of Maine at Farmington, obtaining a degree in mathematics before moving to Utah for veterinary school. She is married and the mother of two 5- and 3-year-old children. Although Morton established her trade in the Midwest, she said there was always a quality about the Farmington area she’d forever associate with home.

“Having two little kids changes your perspective on your environment. It was appealing to return to some of the family I still have living up here, however Farmington also provides a good school systems and a secure sense of community that I found really appealing. There’s a lot of things about the county that are just fantastic.”

Morton currently has a three-person veterinary staff, including Dr. David Chaplain and Dr. Lisa Morin who had previously worked with Dr. Rockwood. The Falls Road Veterinary Clinic is currently the largest in Franklin County, connecting directly to the Morton household.

“It was sort of a packaged deal,” Morton added “We’re currently renovating the roof to the barn with some local assistance.”

In addition to her work, Morton was also quite pleased with the prospect of returning to the slopes in time for ski season.

“I grew up skiing at Sugarloaf,” she said “I can’t wait to bring my family up there.”

The Falls Road Veterinary Clinic is open through the week and available for emergencies. They can be contacted for additional information at 778-2840.