Forty Years of Care. The Story of Red Bank Veterinary Hospital

Forty Years of Care. The Story of Red Bank Veterinary Hospital.

In 1986, a small veterinary hospital opened in New Jersey with a simple idea. Pets deserve exceptional care, and the people who love them deserve to be treated with compassion. No one could have predicted the thousands of late-night emergencies, emotional reunions, lifesaving procedures, and nervous waiting room conversations that would unfold there, or the pets and families whose stories would become part of the hospital's legacy.

Now, forty years later, Red Bank Veterinary Hospital has evolved from its 1986 beginnings into one of the world’s most respected specialty and emergency veterinary hospitals, yet it still holds the same core values established at its founding. The hospital continues to advance veterinary medicine and build a legacy shaped by resilience, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to its community.

“What’s stayed the same is the care and compassion of the staff,” said Thomas Trotter, VMD, founder of Red Bank Veterinary Hospital, who still practices at the hospital today. “That’s always been the foundation.”

From Six People to One of the Region’s Leading Hospitals

What began as a six-person practice offering general practice and neurology services has evolved into a leading specialty and emergency hospital. Today, Red Bank Veterinary Hospital has more than 430 team members offering nearly every specialty capability in modern veterinary medicine, including cardiology, surgery, neurology, oncology, rehabilitation, hemodialysis, advanced diagnostic imaging, and avian and exotics care.

Today, Red Bank continues to push the boundaries of veterinary medicine through advanced technology and innovation. The hospital is the only veterinary hospital on the East Coast to offer an on-site PET/CT GE Discovery 710 128-slice scanner, providing advanced imaging capabilities that enable earlier cancer detection and more precise treatment planning for pet patients.

Red Bank has grown steadily over the decades. In 1990, they completed their first expansion to Newman Springs Road. In 2004, they relocated to a 58,000-square-foot facility in Tinton Falls. And in 2024, they opened the doors of their current 108,000-square-foot hospital in Red Bank. During this move, patient care never paused.

Red Bank also features an advanced surgery center equipped to livestream procedures for continuing education and advanced clinical learning, reinforcing the hospital’s longstanding commitment to training, mentorship, and collaboration across the veterinary profession.

Over the past four decades, the hospital’s growth has expanded its impact across the region and beyond.

“When we moved in 2024 from one building to the next, we did not stop service for even one hour,” said Elizabeth Hilliard, Red Bank’s Marketing Manager and Hospital Ambassador. “We remained fully operational throughout the entire move. It’s what we do, and who we are, and why we last.”

Pushing Veterinary Medicine Forward

Today, Red Bank is the only veterinary hospital on the East Coast to offer an on-site PET/CT GE Discovery 710 128-slice scanner, enabling earlier cancer detection and more precise treatment planning. Its advanced surgery center livestreams procedures for continuing education as part of its longstanding commitment to training and collaboration across the profession.

“Advances in veterinary diagnostic capabilities over the years have dramatically improved the speed and accuracy of diagnosis,” Dr. Trotter said. “That leads to earlier intervention, more targeted treatments, and better outcomes for patients.”

The hospital launched its Internship Program in 1993 and its Residency Program in 2002. Together, these programs have trained more than 400 interns and dozens of residents. Many have gone on to make an impact on the profession nationwide. Red Bank also developed an Accredited Veterinary Assistant certification program. It became known for groundbreaking medical advancements, including performing the first MRI on a foal referred from the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center.

Showing Up When It Matters Most

Some of the hospital’s most meaningful moments came during the times no one could have anticipated.

When Superstorm Sandy battered the region, their doors stayed open. Parts of the hospital were transformed into a supply center for team members and families who had lost so much.

When COVID-19 upended everything, hospital teams kept caring for patients without interruption, because pets don’t stop needing care in hard moments, and families don’t stop needing support.

And in 2023, when New Jersey State Police K9 Kona suffered a traumatic head injury during a search mission, she was airlifted more than 85 miles to Red Bank Veterinary Hospital for emergency neurological care. Kona survived, returned to duty alongside her handler, and her story became the foundation for something lasting.

The K9 Kona Medevac Program is a partnership between the New Jersey State Police, the New Jersey State Police Aviation Bureau, University Hospital EMS, and Red Bank Veterinary Hospital. It ensures injured police K9S across the state get rapid air transport and advanced care when every minute matters, with Red Bank serving as a primary receiving hospital and medical consultant.

What Keeps Them There

Forty years after helping open the hospital, Dr. Trotter remains Red Bank’s longest-tenured team member.

When asked what had kept him there for four decades, he was quick to answer.

“My clients and patients.”

After 40 years, that commitment remains at the heart of Red Bank Veterinary Hospital’s story and the community that continues to trust it with the pets they love most.